Born, not Bitten
by GracelesslyFalling
Summary: When Elena Michaels had successfully been turned, the news had spread quickly among the world of wolves. She was the only female to have survived being bitten; that was true. She was not, however, the only female werewolf as was popular belief. Annie Argenteiri had been kept hidden from the werewolf world. The first female werewolf to have been born, not bitten.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

When Elena Michaels had successfully been turned, the news had spread quickly among the world of wolves. She was the only female to have survived being bitten; that was true. She was not, however, the only female werewolf as was popular belief. Annie Argenteiri had been kept hidden from the werewolf world. The first female werewolf to have been born, not bitten.

Her father, Adriano Argenteri, had been a Mutt, her mother a human who had died during childbirth. Adriano, fearing what might happen should anyone discover Annie, fled the country to his homeland, Italy. There he raised Annie as best he could, as both a human and wolf. Her first transformation was at the age of eleven, early for a wolf but there was no normal transition time for a female as there had never been a female werewolf before. Annie was kept out of the public eye as much as possible. Andriano homeschooled Annie as the two moved around Italy, never staying in one place for too long. Her scent was disguised with perfume and body spray, which she often complained about being too strong.

Annie was forced to return to America at the age of 15. She returned from running errands to the tiny shack that sufficed as their home to find her father slaughtered and the place ransacked. The smell of a foreign wolf was mixed with her father's. It was hard to control her wolf as it clawed about insider her begging her to avenge her father's death. Instead she spent the night mourning her father's death, burying him in an abandoned field in the early hours of the morning so that no one would discover his body. She did not know much of the wolf world, but there were rules that even her father, a mutt, had followed. Firstly, no one must ever discover what she was for she was unique and would be coveted among the wolf world. Secondly, no human must ever discover that there were werewolves.

She knew what to do. Her father had explained to her many times what she must do if something like that happened. Annie was to go to America, to Stonehaven in Bear Valley, New York where there was a pack. Only then and there, to the pack Alpha Jeremy Sanders, was she allowed to break the first rule and ask to become pack. It was her best chance at protection. So with a knapsack that carried her few possessions, her passport, and a wad of cash Annie got on a plane leaving Italy and tried not to look back.

Needless to say Jeremy as well as the other pack members had been more than a little shocked when she showed up on their doorstep. There had been a pack meeting held while Annie sat in the kitchen terrified to hear the result, whether they would accept her into the pack or shun her. Lucky for her, the pack accepted her with open arms. Annie had lost her father mere hours before, but he had made sure to provide her with a new family. Now she had more brothers than she knew what to do with, and all were intent on teasing her endlessly as brothers were supposed to do. At least, that was their excuse. They were older than she was, the closest to her age being Logan and even he had four years on her.

Logan was closest in age to her, but when it came to who she felt closest to it was Clayton. For some reason, unknown to the rest of the pack, Clayton developed a soft spot for the girl. Though he did his fair share of teasing Annie, he was also one of the few that stuck up for her when the others teasing went a bit too far. In truth, Clayton's overprotectiveness oftentimes annoyed Annie. The only time she was truly thankful for it was whenever Daniel Santos had been around. For some reason, he had always given Annie the creeps. It wasn't that he was a flirt, because lord knew Nick was the biggest flirt of them all, but more the way he would simply look at Annie as though she was a prize he was determined to win. She was never more relieved than the day he turned Mutt after his older brother had unsuccessfully attempted to go behind Jeremy's back and usurp him as Alpha.

Annie was seventeen when Clayton brought home Elena Michaels. She was curious about the guest, but Jeremy wouldn't allow her to meet her. It wasn't until after Elena made the transformation that Annie finally got introduced to her. She remembered Elena's first words to her. 'The bastard told me I was the only female to survive being bitten.' The rocky start soon solidified the longer Elena stayed, the two girls became attached to one another rather quickly, neither ever having a sister before. It was Elena who started filling Annie's head with ideas of college and a career other than in the pack. Clayton had been furious when he found out Elena was behind Annie's applications, and the resulting acceptances, into college. His reaction wasn't a surprise to Annie. Nick's, however, was. Both Nick and Clayton presented every excuse to Jeremy to keep Annie from going. Most of them dealing with how she wouldn't be safe.

Thankfully, she had Elena and Logan on her side. In the end Annie ended up attending the University at Upstate New York, but only under certain stipulations. She had to call home every Sunday, keep her scent hidden with perfume, and come home during every school Holiday. Agreeing to the terms were worth it, and nothing less than she probably would have done anyways.

At first it was scary, being alone in a big city, and Annie relished Sunday when she knew someone from the pack would make the time to talk to her—per Jeremy's first stipulation. More often than not it would be Nick who answered when she called, always starting the conversation with some flirtatious comment Annie knew he didn't really mean.

Annie took the train home during the Holidays and Clayton, Elena, and Nick were always waiting for her on the platform. Until one summer when Elena wasn't there. She had moved to Toronto for an indefinite period. Just like Logan had. It killed Clayton, Annie could see it. Probably one of the many reasons why nobody discussed what had happened to Annie. Not even Elena, who would call Annie only when she was at school. Annie suspected that was mostly so none of the pack could eavesdrop on their conversations. Elena had made Annie swear their conversations would remain between the two of them. The pack wasn't entirely happy about it, but Jeremy wouldn't dare to order Annie to betray Elena's confidence. It would isolate the only connection any of them had to Elena.

It was after Elena left that Clay ended up taking a part-time teaching job at Annie's University. She didn't mine, in fact it was nice to have a slice of home every once in a while. The two would meet up for lunch or dinner whenever Clay lectured on campus on Wednesdays and Fridays. The train was oftentimes replaced by Clay driving her home to Bear Valley on Holidays if he ended up teaching the day before break.

The fall Annie turned 21 Elena invited her to visit during her Thanksgiving break. She wanted to share in celebrating Annie's maturity—meaning she wanted to take Annie partying now that she was legally able to drink. The Sunday following Elena's invitation had not been the best phone call home. Nick had answered enthusiastically, asking her how she wanted to celebrate her biggest birthday in the history of birthdays. When she mentioned how she needed to talk to Jeremy about that he had pressed as to why and she ended up admitting Elena's invitation. There was silence on Nick's end until he handed the phone to Jeremy. Annie could hear Nick's voice in the background filling someone in before Clayton's voice clearly rang over Jeremy's calm tone.

"Hell no! She is _not_ going to Toronto. If Elena wants to celebrate with Annie she'll have to come to Bear Valley." Despite Clayton's obvious disapproval Jeremy relented once Annie promised she'd call every night she was in Toronto.

Elena was both surprised and elated when Annie told her the good news. The first night there was uneventful as Elena simply picked Annie up at the Airport and they ordered pizza in while watching romantic comedies. Annie met Philip for the first time the next day. He was cute, and nice, and so obviously in love with Elena. Annie was happy for Elena, but she couldn't help but wonder how long the relationship could last. He was human after all and not permitted to know what Elena was. Of course, she made no mention of that to Elena, not wanting to pop her happy little bubble.

Thanksgiving was spent with Philip and his family, which was admittedly awkward. They were nice enough, but they weren't family and Annie couldn't help but feel a little homesick. She put on a happy face though and Philip's sister as well as Elena's new BFF, Diane, seemed to take to Annie immediately. She dragged Elena and Annie Black Friday shopping—something Annie spent most of Friday night complaining to Nick about as he had been the one to answer her call. Diane also tagged along with Elena and Annie when they hit the bars Saturday night. To be honest, it was probably mostly Diane's fault that Annie ended up drinking enough to make her more than a little tipsy as she kept buying her more and more drinks.

When Annie hadn't called home to Stonehaven by 11, Nick ended up calling her with Clayton standing nearby. Both didn't know whether to be angry or worried—Annie never missed a call. The first time they got her voicemail. Nick immediately hung up without leaving a message and redialed. That time Annie answered, finally able to dig her phone out of her purse.

"Shit" She murmured when she saw the number calling. In truth, Annie hadn't realized it was so late. Fighting her way off the dance floor and to the quietest corner she could find at the bar she finally answered. "I'm so sorry I haven't called. I lost track of time." That didn't seem to pacify Nick.

"You lost track of time? Annie it's midnight. You never miss a call." He sounded equal parts relieved and angry.

"We went out, and there's no clock in here anywhere." Nick said something in response, but even in the quietest corner it still wasn't very quiet. Not to mention some random dude had plunked himself on the barstool next to her and was asking her if she wanted a drink at the same time Nick was trying to speak.

"Hang on, I can't hear you." The random guy repeated his question, obviously unaware she had not been talking to him, just as Nick began to repeat himself. "Not you. I heard you. No I don't want a drink, or to dance. Can't you see I'm on the phone?" She muttered irritated. Sliding off her own stool Annie moved away from the annoying drunk guy who didn't seem to understand the words no or leave me alone.

"Are you at a bar?" Nick shouted louder so Annie would hear him. He hadn't known that Annie had reached the ladies room and could easily hear him as well as Clayton shouting angrily in the background 'She's in a bar?'

"What did you think Elena and I would do for my 21st birthday?" Both men answered with similarly innocent suggestions such as cake and ice cream and movies. "We did all that earlier in the week. Tonight, as Diane would say, was all about drinking, dancing, and hook-ups." Only after Annie mentioned the last part did she realize it probably wasn't the best idea. In her defense she had been quoting Diane. A fact that Nick and Clayton seemed to miss.

"Hooking up?!" Clayton bellowed, seeming to have commandeered the phone from Nick as he sounded a lot closer than a minute ago. "This is why you shouldn't have gone to Toronto. Jesus Annie, Nick and I aren't even there to intimidate the perverts hitting on you."

"Okay, obviously I was joking about hooking up. I'm not _that_ drunk." Annie quickly clarified. Clayton only murmured something that sounded like 'that makes me feel _so_ much better.' Annie chose to ignore his sarcasm. "Besides, I have plenty of experience with perverts at school. I know how to take care of myself." Once again Annie realized her mistake too late as Clayton went off once more. After listening to his overprotective rant for several more minutes she insisted he put Nick—the reasonable one—back on the phone. It turned out Nick wasn't more reasonable. Not that time. Not when it came to Annie and perverts, and possible hook-ups.

"You know what, you are all hypocrites. You're allowed to hook up with girls anytime you want, and Logan can _live_ with his girlfriend, yet I can't even talk with a guy without you guys freaking out. Screw that." Hanging up without bothering to hear either man's response, Annie returned to the dance floor to find Elena. All she wanted was to go home. Clayton and Nick had ruined her fun mood.

For the rest of her visit Annie called Jeremy's cell phone to check in, still angry at the way Clayton and Nick had overreacted. Elena fully supported her, saying the less the guys knew about her personal life the easier it would be. Annie couldn't help but agree when she thought of Elena's personal life and how much easier it was that the pack didn't know about Philip.

It took another week before Annie conceded to talking with Nick. She was just more careful to avoid mentioning anything boy related to him or Clayton. During winter break Clayton and Nick made a point of taking her out with them as a sort of apology. Though they mostly stuck to the bar, sending glares at any guy who approached whenever Annie wasn't looking.

Much to Annie's surprise Nick turned down several women who had either asked him if he wanted to dance or wanted a drink. They were attractive, and obviously looking for a good time which was normally exactly Nick's type. Was he trying to make a point to not be a hypocrite? Perhaps Annie should have mentioned she was completely over her little outburst from last month, but a part of her was slightly happy when Nick chose her and Clayton over the women.

Nick ordered another round of shots, downing both his and Annie's once he realized she wasn't going to drink it. Annie had lost her taste for tequila after that weekend partying with Diana and Elena where she spent the night hugging the toilet and swearing off alcohol for good. As soon as Nick had finished Annie's shot he abruptly rose to his feet, pulling Annie up with him.

"Let's dance," Were his only words as he dragged Annie towards the dance floor. She followed without resistance, slightly confused at his request seeing as he had turned down the other women. The dance floor was crowded, but Nick found a spot for them by elbowing several people out of the way. Unsure of what exactly to do, Annie stood frozen in hesitation for a moment before Nick pulled her towards him. With hands on her hips he began swaying his own hips to the beat, smiling when Annie began swaying along with him.

Annie didn't know what to think. Dancing with Nick was fun, she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. It was also a little awkward. The way they were dancing, and his hands on her hips, didn't feel very brotherly. In fact it felt distinctively not brotherly at all. Wanting to disrupt the awkwardness Annie turned to face Nick, planning on telling him she needed some water. That's when he kissed her. His lips were soft and warm and tasted of tequila. Admittedly, Annie kissed him back, but only for a couple minutes. She pulled away as soon as she realized what she was doing.

Nick was her pack mate and her friend. He was like a brother to her. An older brother at that. He was twenty-seven for Christ's sake. And did she mention he was like her _brother_. Before he could say anything Annie fled the dance floor, finding Clay where they had left him at the bar. He was downing another beer, obviously having paid zero attention to her and Nick, when she reached him.

"I want to go home." She demanded, causing Clay to glance up at her in confusion. "Please." She added, just as Nick joined them. She could feel his presence behind her, his familiar scent surrounding her, causing her to flush. Clayton glanced between her and Nick, as if sensing something had happened. Thankfully he didn't say anything. He simply nodded, placing enough money on the bar to cover their drinks. She led the way outside, taking the front passenger seat without asking and avoiding looking anywhere near Nick's direction. In fact, she ignored him the whole way home.

Unfortunately she couldn't avoid him for the whole rest of her break, though she did her best to never find herself alone with him. Every night Nick had knocked on her bedroom door, wanting to talk. She simply pretended to be asleep, though Annie doubted if Nick actually bought it. He could hear her heartbeat just as she could hear his, and her heartbeat sped up whenever he knocked on her door. Eventually he managed to get her alone, catching her as she was leaving the bathroom after showering.

"Annie please, just talk with me." He pleaded, blocking her path to her room. A part of Annie wanted to brush past him without a word, but he sounded so desperate and forlorn it made her pause.

"Meet me out back in ten minutes," she finally consented. She'd be damned if they'd have this conversation anywhere in hearing distance of the pack. As soon as she had agreed he let her pass. In the safety of her bedroom Annie took a moment to lean against her closed door, trying to calm her nerves. Knowing she could only stall but so long she quickly towel dried her dark hair, pulling it up in a ponytail before slipping on jeans, a red sweater, and her brown leather boots.

Nick was waiting for her on the porch, but before he could say a word she shook her head, continuing past him to the edge of the yard. They weren't far enough away for her comfort. She heard him sigh in frustration, but felt him follow her anyways. Once she felt they were at a decent distance she turned around, not realizing just how close Nick had been following her until then. Taking a step back for comfort Annie looked up at him.

"You were drunk Nick, and I was tipsy. It was an accident. Can't we just leave it at that?" Annie glanced away when she started talking, unable to hold eye contact. In truth, she wasn't completely sure if she wanted to just leave it. She just kept telling herself she did because it made things easier.

"No," Nick stated so insistent that it resulted in Annie forgetting her determination to avoid eye contact. "I wasn't drunk, and it wasn't an accident." The intensity in his eyes caused a blush to rise in Annie's cheeks.

"Nick, you had just taken two tequila shots before that." Annie replied, sticking to her guns on the whole him being drunk thing.

"I'm a big guy Annie, I can handle my liquor. I wasn't drunk. I took the shots as a little liquid courage." He ground out, his intense brown eyes boring into her, daring her to contradict him again.

"Fine, you weren't drunk." Annie shot out in frustration. "But everyone knows you're a flirt Nicky." It was a harsh statement to throw at him now, Annie knew that, but it was also true. Even if Nick wasn't drunk, Annie was smart enough not to think he meant much by the kiss. He had never taken any relationship seriously. He was the pack's resident playboy.

"When's the last time you've seen me flirt with another woman Annie?" Nick challenged gruffly. All Annie could do was shrug in response. She was at school most of the time, so she couldn't say when the last time was. "It's been years Annie. I haven't since you left for school." Annie was tempted not to believe Nicky. She knew his track record with women. But there was a fierce sincerity in his eyes that forced her to believe him.

"You're my pack brother," Annie threw up another reason, another barrier between Nick and her. After her last two had been shut down she was quickly running out of them.

"I haven't seen you as a sister in some time." Nick responded candidly, causing Annie to blush again. This wouldn't work. She had to remind herself of that.

"You're six years older than me," She murmured softly, eyes on her feet.

"Clay's eight years older than Elena." Nick countered just as softly, taking a step closer. He smiled at his small victory when Annie didn't counter it with a step back.

"Look how great that turned out." Annie's sarcastic response actually caused Nick to chuckle. He could tell when people were running out of excuses and Annie was starting to grasp at straws. "Besides, what will Jeremy say? Or Clay?"

"You know they would be fine with it." Placing his right hand beneath her chin, Nick lightly lifted her gaze up to meet his. Annie couldn't offer up any more excuses, she knew as well as Nick did that Jeremy really wouldn't mind at all. And Clay would be downright happy, especially since it would offer him new grounds to tease Nick on.

When Annie didn't pull away from Nick's touch he felt a bubble of hope rise in his chest. Closing the space between them he pressed his lips against Annie's for the second time. He smiled into the kiss when he felt Annie returning it. Moving his hands to the back of her neck, he pulled her closer to him, as her hands found their way to his chest. This was how it was supposed to be. That was, until he realized she was pulling away, her hands restraining him and preventing him from following.

"Nick wait. I'm going back to school. This is my last semester and I want to graduate." Frustration flooded over Nick at yet another excuse. His wolf agreed, egging him to ignore Annie's newest argument and pull her back to them. Before they could act however Annie moved her right hand to cover Nick's mouth as if sensing his intentions. "It's not forever Nick. I'm not running like Elena. I'll be back for good at the beginning of May. Not to mention there's still spring and Easter break. And I'll still talk to you every Sunday like we've been doing for the past three and a half years. I just can't promise anything more until then. Graduating on time sort of entails focus and studying."

Nick wanted to argue more than anything else. He wanted to keep Annie with him. But he recognized how selfish that would be, and although he normally had no problem going the selfish route, he didn't want to upset Annie. Finishing nursing school was everything to her, he knew that. He also knew how much the pack could use someone knowledgeable about medicine. It had been one of the reasons Jeremy had let her go in the first place; because Annie's chosen career would benefit the pack.

"Alright. Maybe I'll travel some with dad while you're off finishing your degree." Nick attempted to sound upbeat and positive. It must have worked because Annie's face lit up with a huge smile and she moved her arms up to hug him.

"Thank you," she exclaimed in happiness and relief that Nick wouldn't fight her on returning to school. Nick murmured 'welcome' as he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck. She ended up slapping him halfheartedly on the back of the head before pulling away and rolling her eyes at his behavior.

Clayton ended up being Annie's ride back to campus as he had a lecture set for Monday that week. The good part about that was Annie got to say goodbye to everyone at the house, offering more privacy than the train station. The bad part was Clayton sensed something different in her goodbye with Nick.

"So, what's going on between you and Nick?" Clay breached the subject not ten minutes into their road trip.

"Nothing," Annie quickly answered, keeping her gaze on the windshield. Clay tsked at her response.

"I saw that goodbye hug. No one else got a goodbye hug like that. So I repeat, what's going on?" Annie could feel his gaze on her, the intense enforcer one he used during interrogations. He wasn't backing down until he got a straight answer.

"We kissed." Annie finally admitted, to which Clay let out a long whistle. "Twice."

"It's about Damn time that pup grew some and made a move." Whipping her head to look at Clay in disbelief she found him smiling widely back at her. "Nick's harbored a thing for you since you turned seventeen."

"Yes, well, he'll be harboring it for at least another five months. I told him nothing's happening while I'm still at school." Clay shook his head, muttering something that sounded a lot like 'poor nick.' Silence stretched on for the rest of the ride until Annie grew tired of it and turned on the radio. At least there would be no more awkward conversation about her and Nick.

* * *

><p><em>AN: so I love the show Bitten, but have never read the books. Therefore this will be roughly be based off of the show with some obvious changes. This is my second or third attempt at third person writing so forgive me if it is a bit choppy. Hope you enjoy!<em>

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was four weeks into the new semester and Annie was already swamped with all the coursework. She had to cancel her lunch with Clay because she was spending her lunch locked in a study room in the library with her lab partner Ben going over material for the test coming up Friday. Grace and Bridget were supposed to join them, but they had suddenly bailed at the last minute. Being alone with Ben had made Annie feel nervous, and not in a good way. He had been giving Annie more attention since the start of term last fall, giving her the idea that he wanted to be more than friends. Regardless of her nerves she agreed to study with him, she really needed to pass this test. Several hours after they had initially met books and notes were splayed over the table and an empty Taco Bell bag Ben had brought for them lay on the floor behind them.

"I am never going to know everything by this Friday." Annie insisted, resting her forehead on the notes in front of her.

"You're smart Annie. You're going to ace it and you know it." Ben insisted, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Feeling a little uncomfortable with the contact Annie sat up, shrugging off Ben's hand. He had been doing that more and more as of late, something Annie hadn't appreciated.

"I think it's time for a break." Annie needed a break from Ben more than from studying. She was no longer as comfortable remaining in the confined study room with him. "My cousin is on campus and I promised I'd drop in to say hi,"she lied as she started stuffing her notes back in her bag. To her disappointment Ben rose with her, claiming he'd walk her to Clay's office.

The sun was just starting to set. If Annie wanted to keep the pretense of visiting Clay she had to pick up the pace. He usually left around 6. Ben kept pace right along with her until they were outside Clayton's office. His door was shut, but she could hear him shuffling papers inside. He hadn't left yet, thank goodness. Just as she was about to knock, Ben's hand pulled on her wrist, stopping her. Sighing in frustration she turned around, only to be met with his lips on hers. Annie really needed to stop turning around with men behind her as that was the second time it had resulted in a kiss. Though Annie didn't even contemplate returning Ben's kiss. Instead she pushed him abruptly away.

"What the Hell Ben?" Annie rounded on him once he stumbled backwards a few steps. Admittedly Annie had probably pushed him a little harder than need be. "Where did that come from?"

"Are you serious?" Ben retorted, seeming more angry than embarrassed. "You're the one who asked me to the study date."

"Study date doesn't mean an actual date Ben. It means 'let's study for this huge test we both have because two sets of notes are better than one.'" Annie was genuinely surprised that Ben had considered her asking him to study with her as a date. How was studying even remotely construed as romantic in the least?

"I brought lunch, made sure Grace and the others didn't tag along. I even walked you to your cousin's office." And he thought that earned him a kiss? That it meant she liked him? Ben had been an alright lab partner and a decent friend, but Annie had thought she had been perfectly clear that any feelings she had towards him were purely platonic. Before Annie could inform Ben of any of that Clay's office door clicked open.

"Everything all right out here?" His arms were crossed, making his muscles bulge. It was an intimidation technique he used. Normally Annie made fun of him for it, but she was more than thankful for it at the moment as it had managed to get rid of Ben. Ben ended up muttering something about seeing Annie later before making his way back down the hall. Relieved that it was all over Annie turned to Clay, planning on thanking him before she noticed his arms were still crossed.

"Care to explain why you ditched lunch with me for him?" He asked, he was using his gruff, angry voice he normally saved for misbehaving Mutts. "Or perhaps you'd like to explain it to Nick?" Annie's stomach dropped at that. It was just a stupid kiss she hadn't initiated, reciprocated, nor wanted. Wouldn't that mean she didn't have to tell Nick?

"It's not like that, and you know it. You heard our conversation. We were only studying." There was no need to hurt or anger Nick over nothing.

"Studying that led to kissing." Clay wasn't backing down. Truth was, he was angrier with the human than with Annie, but the human wasn't there anymore.

"He kissed me. It was not mutual. It was nothing." Annie knew it didn't matter in Clay's eyes. All Clay cared about at that moment was protecting both pack and Nick. "You're really going to make me tell him? You really want to upset him for nothing?" Clay's muscles moved as he readjusted his position to let his hands fall down to his side.

"Just stay away from the human." And then neither of them will have to tell Nick. That's what Clay hadn't said. Even though he didn't say it, Annie knew what he meant and she felt a rush of relief flow over her.

With a nod of her head Clay immediately dropped the intimidation act. He offered to take Annie for dinner, but she declined claiming she had more studying to do, alone this time. They parted ways in front of her dorm building with Clayton saying he would see her on Friday. And Annie did end up seeing him on Friday, just not for lunch as she had expected. Clayton found her as she was leaving the exam hall with her classmates. Ben was beside her, but she was obviously trying to keep her distance as she had been ignoring him and talking with a blonde on her other side. As soon as Ben noticed Clay he fell a few steps behind Annie.

"We need to talk." Clay interrupted as Grace was answering Annie's question. Annie had known he was there, had smelled him when she had left the hall. Which was why she was pointedly only talking with Grace and not Ben. With a goodbye to her friends Annie followed Clay to his office. He didn't speak until the door was shut tight behind them.

"Jeremy sent a message for everyone to call him. Something's happened." He was already dialing Jeremy's number on his office phone.

"What's happened Clay?" Annie didn't hide the worry in her voice. Jeremy only contacted the whole pack when he needed them home. And normally he didn't need them home for anything good.

"Clay, is Annie there?" Jeremy's voice answered over the speaker.

"I'm here. What's going on? Is everyone okay?" Jeremy didn't answer in much detail. There was a girl killed by a Mutt close to home. He was calling everyone home. "Everyone?" Annie asked, her thoughts going to Elena. Annie knew Elena wouldn't come back unless by force. Even then, Annie doubted whether Elena would go.

"Everyone." Jeremy confirmed. Glancing up at Clay, Annie saw his pain for the split second he let his wall down. When he realized she was staring the wall went right back up. "I'll expect both of you here tonight."

"Maybe I should go to Toronto. Try to convince Elena to come back with me." Annie suggested. She was immediately shut down by both Clay and Jeremy. Jeremy claiming it was more likely Elena would come home if Annie was there. Clay claiming if Annie went, Elena would try to convince her to stay in Toronto with her rather than Annie convincing Elena to leave.

"I'll see you both in a couple hours." Jeremy's last order rang with authoritativeness before he hung up. Annie had no choice, she would go home with Clay that night. Hopefully they could get all of it sorted before the weekend came to an end. If not Annie would need an excuse for missing classes.

Clayton was a fast driver, especially when he was in enforcer mode. They arrived at Stonehaven in just over an hour and a half. Clay immediately started in on how he could take care of the Mutt by himself, but Jeremy wouldn't hear of it. While they continued to 'discuss' it Annie dragged her duffle upstairs to her room. She methodically put away the things she had brought, it helped ease her nerves slightly. What would have really helped would be to go for a run, but she doubted if Jeremy would let her go alone—either on two legs or four—what with the attacks. Instead she took a long, hot shower. Like the unpacking, it only helped but so much. She remained in her room until nightfall, not wanting to be stuck in the middle of a heated discussion between Jeremy and Clay. Dusk had just settled when Annie heard the car pulling into the drive from her bedroom, then the voices from downstairs. Antonio and Nick had arrived.

Clay greeted both father and son with a hug when they arrived. Nick let his eyes drift over the room, silently searching for Annie. Clay seemed to know what he was doing because when he caught Nick's gaze he made a show of rolling his eyes.

"She's upstairs." Clay answered the question he knew Nick was wondering.

Before Nick could even think to move towards the stairs Annie was descending them. She took them two at a time, heading straight to Nick once she reached the entry hall and wrapping her arms around him. Holding on tight as he wrapped his own arms around her in a welcoming hug, Annie realized just how much she had missed him as she breathed in his familiar scent. Antonio and Clay stood silent for several minutes, letting the two have their moment, before Antonio cleared his throat and demanded it was his turn for hello. Blushing Annie went to hug Antonio, not noticing the questioning look he sent his son.

"How are you, little Principessa?" Antonio asked, smiling fondly down at the small brunette that stood before him.

"Good, now that I'm with family." Annie answered with a quick sideways glance at Nick. Antonio didn't miss it, and he would have questioned his son about it if there weren't more pressing issues at hand to discuss.

"Speaking of family, where is Jeremy?" Clay was the one who informed them Jeremy was downstairs with the Mutt files. Antonio immediately headed for the basement. Coming up behind Annie, Nick rested his hand on her lower back, gently herding her after his father. It was unnecessary as Annie would have followed anyway, but Nick enjoyed the excuse to touch her. He knew troubling circumstances had brought her home, but he was still happy she was there. Talking with her on the phone wasn't the same as being able to see her, touch her, or smell her distinct scent.

"What's going on?" Antonio got right down to business once greetings were exchanged. Jeremy summarized what Annie had overheard him telling Clay earlier. A girl was dead at an unfamiliar Mutt's hands and they would wait until the whole pack was home to act on it. Tension flared when Nick asked the same question Annie had, did 'everyone' mean Elena. It did. Logan and Pete were going to talk to her. Jeremy assured them she would come.

"So you'll let Logan and Pete go to convince her, but not me?" Annie had wanted to help bring Elena home, knew that she had a good chance at being successful. She had a closer bond than anyone else in the pack had with Elena. Both being the only two female werewolves in existence led to a special connection. It frustrated her that Jeremy wouldn't trust her to go to Toronto. She knew it had nothing to do with logic and had everything to do with her being the baby of the pack. Annie may be the youngest, but she wasn't weak and she was growing tired of everybody's overprotective nature towards her.

"I am doing what's best for the pack Annie. I will always do what is best for this pack." Annie wanted so bad to challenge the statement, even though she knew better than to go against her Alpha. Sensing her frustration Nick placed a firm hand on her shoulder, in equal parts warning and restraining.

"Why don't we start dinner?" It may have sounded like a suggestion, but Annie knew Nick would force her upstairs if he had to, simply to protect her from spending a night in the cage for arguing with Jeremy.

Upstairs in the kitchen they were alone. Nick was putting steaks on the stove to grill while Annie went to mixing a salad. Stubborn as she was, she always insisted they had some vegetable with their meals in order to maintain a more well-rounded diet. Nick always said the squirrels and rabbits they caught while running rounded out the diet just fine, to which Annie would always roll her eyes. The two occupied their own sides of the kitchen in relative silence until Nick abandoned his post at the stove.

"Nick," Annie warned halfheartedly as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed his nose into her neck.

"I'm just getting reacquainted." He sighed into her neck. "I missed you, Principessa." His lips brushed against her neck as he spoke, sending tingles down her back. How could the same nickname his father used for her sound sexy when coming from Nick? Who was she kidding, Nick could probably make reciting the periodic table sound sexy.

"How was Italy?" Annie asked, changing the subject as she turned to face Nick.

"Not as fun as it would have been had you been there." She should have known, with Nick, the subject wouldn't stay changed for too long.

"I think the steaks need turned. Don't want to burn them." That one did the trick. He immediately left in favor of the steaks. Food was a very serious matter for wolves.

Annie was thankful for that when just a few minutes later Jeremy and the others joined them in the kitchen. When they sat down for dinner Jeremy took his seat at the head of the table, with Antonio and Clay to his left and right. Nick sat across from Annie, beside his dad. As soon as Jeremy took a bite all the boys dug into the food, filling their plates up mostly with steak. Shaking her head Annie made a point to serve herself a helping plate of salad first. Conversation started up after the first plates of food had been cleared. Annie couldn't help but smile to herself, happy to once again be around her pack. She missed them while she was at school. Her friends were a good distraction, but they didn't really know her. Not like the pack did.

Annie's smile fell and the conversation stalled when seemingly random pop music began playing. It was Annie's phone. All eyes were on her as she fished it out of her jeans pocket, knowing exactly who was calling without looking. Grace had picked out her personal ringtone herself. Hitting the end button immediately to stop the music, Annie couldn't help but catch both Nick and Clay snickering, most likely at her ring tone.

"Sorry," Annie murmured. As soon as she said it, the same song began playing once more from her phone. Grace was calling back

"Maybe you should answer that." Jeremy stated calmly before taking another bite of his steak. Annie knew forcing her to answer and converse at the table was her punishment for having her phone on. There was a rule about no phones during meals.

"Grace," Annie sighed as she picked up. "What's up?" There was loud music playing in the background, Annie recognized it as Grace's pre-gaming track. She also picked up on the voices of Bridget and Claire, classmates of hers from the nursing program.

"Annie!" Grace squealed into the phone loudly. "Where are you? We're about to head out to celebrate the exam we all failed today!"

"I'm home visiting for the weekend." Anne replied to which Grace responded with a loving 'boo you bitch.' "How much have you had to drink so far?" Grace was known for pre-gaming hard, which worried Annie slightly as she wasn't there to take care of the aftermath that was drunk, then hung over Grace.

"Not too much." Grace insisted. Even though Annie highly doubted that was true, she wasn't planning on challenging her on it. In fact, she was going to respond with a simple 'good' and wish Grace a good time, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible to avoid further embarrassment as she was currently the table's entertainment. Unfortunately Grace was faster. "By the way, what's up with you and Ben? He totally blew us off studying Wednesday so you two could have 'alone time.'"

If everyone's attention hadn't been on her before, it most definitely was after that. Nick's stare was intense as he took a new interest in the conversation. Annie wanted nothing more than to kick Grace at that moment.

"Ben is delusional. He never did understand we are just friends." Annie made a point to look at Nick as she said that.

"So you didn't kiss him? Because that's what he's saying." Damn. Annie was going to kill Ben. Metaphorically speaking. He could never just keep his mouth shut.

"He kissed me." Annie corrected. She hadn't really wanted to have this conversation, especially not in front of the Pack. Most definitely not in front of Nick. "Without my consent. And I gave him Hell for it." Annie added quickly, hoping it would help calm down a certain male wolf. It didn't work. Nick's jaw tightened at Annie's confession. Neither he nor his wolf liked the idea of another guy touching Annie, let alone kissing her.

"So you're not hooking up?" Grinding her teeth at Grace's question, Annie's grip on her phone tightened to the point it omitted a low crack.

"No Grace. Ben and I are just friends. Maybe not even friends after this. As it is I like someone else." Annie avoided Nick's gaze after admitting that. A part of her had said it because she wanted to get Grace off her back. Another part of her knew that it was the truth and that someone else just happened to be sitting across from her.

Of course Grace squealed once more, demanding to know who it was, then listed a bunch of the guys they had classes with. Annie simply told Grace Goodnight before hanging up the phone. The silence in the room after that call was admittedly awkward. Clay ended up breaking it, asking if Annie could pass the salad. She sent him an appreciative smile, knowing too well he didn't really want the salad. After that conversation picked back up.

Annie volunteered for dish duty when dinner was finished. It would give her something to do as well as an excuse to avoid an awkward conversation with Nick. It didn't really work as Nick stayed behind to help, and once again they were alone in the kitchen.

"Who's Ben? Other than the boy who kissed you." Nick spoke first as he picked up a towel and stood beside Annie.

"He's just one of the many immature guys in my program." Annie answered as she handed him the dish she just rinsed.

"Oh good, a male nurse. He's bound to be a pansy then." Laughing in response Annie looked up at Nick for the first time since he'd joined her. His eyes were smiling, which was a relief to Annie. He wasn't angry with her. "So, who is this someone else you like? Anyone I might know?" Nick asked in a suggestive tone, smiling down at her.

"Actually, yes. It's someone in the pack." Annie played along. Nick's smile grew bigger as he replied with an 'oh really.' "Yes, I admit it. It's Pete." Nick, who hadn't expected that, chuckled at her evasiveness instead of becoming frustrated. He had to hand it to Annie; that was a pretty good one. From the den, where Jeremy and Antonio had retired with drinks after dinner, the two had been listening to Annie and Nick's conversation.

"I believe there is something between your son and my daughter." Jeremy stated calmly as he took a sip from his glass. True, Annie was not his daughter by blood, but he had always seen her that way since the day she came to Stonehaven.

"It would seem as such." Antonio agreed. "Perhaps I should have a talk with him. The last thing we need is another situation like Elena and Clay." Those two complicated things enough on their own.

"Annie is not Elena." Jeremy murmured as he stared into the fire. Elena resented everything that had to do with her wolf form and the memory of being bitten. Annie, who was born into that world and knew no other way, relished in everything Elena resented.

* * *

><p><em>AN Here it is! The second chapter. I am really enjoying writing this story. I know I'm not following the show exactly, as Nick was in New York and not Italy before returning to Stonehaven. That being said, with an OC in the mix there is obviously going to be some artistic changes. _

_Thank you to all who have already followed and favorited this story, it means a lot to me. If you ever feel like reviewing, that would be nice too. But no pressure :) I am interested in your ideas of who you picture as Annie. I know I haven't given much of a physical description for her yet, it will come soon. Albeit you do know she is Italian and had brunette hair. Let me know what ya think!_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elena didn't come home until Sunday. Which meant there was a good chance Annie would be missing classes. Knowing that falling behind wasn't an option, Annie spent most of Saturday in her room with her course books. It was tedious, studying material that hadn't been covered in a lecture yet, but Annie was anything but a quitter. If she started something, she was always Hell bent on finishing it.

Tire tracks on the drive was the first thing that distracted Annie from her work. For a minute she thought it might be Elena, home at last. To her disappointment, when she went to her window, the car was a police one, belonging to the town's sheriff. The coroner confirmed it was a wolf kill and people now wanted a bounty on killing the wolf. Hunting wolves was illegal, but Annie doubted if that would stop the Hunters in Bear Valley.

"We need Elena," Annie heard Nick's voice from downstairs. No one said a word in response, but Annie knew everyone agreed.

It was true, Elena was their best tracker. Her sense of smell was incredible. The pack needed her to help them hunt. They needed all the guys for their strength and force. Annie was beginning to wonder what her part in this hunt would be. She was slighter and shorter than the guys. Even Elena was taller than her. Annie stood at a human's modest 5'6", but for a wolf that was on the short side. Though she was one of the fastest, speed wouldn't help her this time. Getting to the Mutt first would mean she would be taking him on alone, a fight she would be sure to lose.

Perhaps she could be the bait. So far the Mutt's targets had been females. Annie had that going in her favor. Turning from the window she went to study her reflection in the mirror hanging above her dresser. She turned her head from side to side to examine herself from different angles. Annie had never been a vain person, but she considered herself pretty enough. Her Italian background gave her a slight exotic look with an olive complexion, thick dark hair, and almond-shaped brown eyes. With some make up and the right clothes, she might be tempting enough for the Mutt. Of course, she'd have to use a bit of perfume to cover her scent. It wouldn't do if he knew what she was.

Annie's thought process was interrupted by the sound of the home phone ringing. A little curious and a little tired of her self-imposed study lockdown Annie found her way downstairs to the den. Everyone was in there when she arrived, and no one was on the phone, which had stopped ringing on her way downstairs.

"She hung up." Clay admitted gruffly.

"Why are you answering the phone?" Nick demanded in frustration. "We're trying to get her here. Not remind her of the reasons why she left."

"That's not fair Nick." Annie murmured as she made her way further into the room.

"He's right. She won't be calling back." Jeremy sighed in disappointment, causing Clay's shoulders to hunch ever so slightly.

"We don't need her to call." Annie replied forcefully. "We just need her to come home. And she will." Ever since Elena left, the pack had taken it in turns to make Clay feel like crap about it. Maybe not always on purpose, but they'd done it nonetheless and Annie was getting tired of it. "Clay, I could use some training practice. Meet me out back in ten."

Annie knew training would help cheer Clay up. There's few things he liked better than showing someone up in a fight. She was also hoping it might get his mind off of Elena. And being completely honest, Annie knew she could use the workout. What she didn't need was an audience to what was sure to be her ass-kicking. Though that's exactly what she got when she met Clay in her old sweats, as Nick was leaning against the back wall with a cup of coffee. Attempting to ignore him Annie walked by without a word and met Clay who was waiting in the middle of the yard. She took her starting stance with her arms up in a block by her face, readying for the attack.

"You look so cute when you're serious." Nick called out, distracting Annie for a split second. It just so happened that was the second Clay decided to come at her.

By some miracle she managed to stay on her feet, though he had caused her to stumble back a few feet. Not waiting for her to set up again Clay came right back at her, wrapping his arms around her in a tackle. That time he took her to the ground. Rolling with the hit she used the momentum to maneuver them so she was on top. The vast difference in their frames didn't allow it to stay that way for long. Annie had speed on her side, allowing her to untangle herself from several pins. However her punches and kicks—though aimed perfectly—didn't pack as much force behind them as Clay's. The sparring ended with Clay pinning Annie face down in the ground.

Though she had lost, Annie had lasted longer than she had anticipated. She was feeling pretty good about that. Clay helped her to her feet with a small smile. Their exercise had helped to raise his mood and that more than anything made Annie feel as though she had won. Though she had not appreciated the face full of grass she got. For that she waited until Clay was off his guard before knocking his feet out from under him then running for the house before he could retaliate. As it was it only resulted in Clay smiling wider as he righted himself and followed slowly behind Annie.

"You've got some dirt right there." Nick murmured, rubbing his thumb across Annie's cheek when she had returned to the patio. Instead of removing the dirt it only spread it further across her cheek.

"If you're looking for excuses to touch her you could always fight her." Clay spoke up as he came to stand beside Annie on the porch. "A workout might do you some good." He added, playfully hitting Nick's stomach.

"An interesting point Clayton," Nick responded with a smile. "How about it Annie, we could take the workout and those moves to my bedroom." His smile turned to a slight smirk as he winked at her.

"Tempting, but I don't want to wear you out, you'll be needing your strength." In a rare moment of confidence Annie sent Nick a coy smile before leaving him and Clay behind on the patio. Turning to make a comment about it to Clay, Nick found him sending him a stern look.

"No innuendo's about her in front of me. You may be my friend but she's still my baby sister." Nick held his hands up in surrender, which was enough for Clay.

Annie was in the kitchen and opening her third bottle of water when Clay and Nick came in. Clay grabbed the bottle from her hands and took a sip causing Annie to let out a cry of indignation that was quickly, quite literally, drowned out as Clay squirted water from the bottle in her face. That's what started the water fight as Nick and Clay grabbed more ammo from the fridge and Annie used the hand sprayer from the sink to start spraying the boys with. By the time Jeremy intervened, all three of them were soaked and large puddles of water covered the kitchen floor. Taking one drawn out, silent look around the room at each of them he ordered the three of them to clean it up before exiting the way he had come.

With the mop from the closet and towels from the hall closet they went to work soaking up the water until the room was once more dry. As for themselves, they were still soaked. Clay commandeered the shower first, using his age as leverage, leading Annie, the youngest, to be last. Nick came knocking on her door when he was done, wearing nothing but a towel, to let her know it was her turn. Annie admittedly stared for a moment before gathering her things up for her shower.

"Like what you see?" Nick asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A man in a towel isn't an oddity when you live in a coed dorm." She retorted, trying to sound more nonchalant than she felt. The boys at school were just that, boys. Nick was on a whole different level, but she didn't want him to get too big of a head.

"The dorms are coed?" It took a couple of minutes for Nick to come out with that, meaning her statement had gotten to him. Annie just shrugged before disappearing into the bathroom.

Annie was running out of clothes. She realized this when getting dressed after her shower. She had worn her last clean shirt during training and now it lay wet at the top of her hamper. Pulling on the jeans and boots she wore Friday and her last clean bra she made her way down the hall to Elena's room. She was hoping Elena might have left something of hers behind, but it turned out she had done a pretty thorough job at packing. Knowing better than to go nosing around any of the guys' room she went in search of one of them. She ended up finding all four of them in the den.

"I'm fresh out of shirts." She announced to the stares she was receiving, crossing her arms self-consciously in front of her.

"I'll grab you one of mine," Nick offered, rising from his seat on the couch. "But personally, I like this look." He added before he left the room.

Keeping her arms in front of her, Annie took Nick's spot on the couch as she waited. Clay sat on the other side of the couch shaking his head at both Annie's lack of apparel and Nick's response to it. He knew why Nick was so quick to offer up his clothes, it was one way he could put his scent on Annie. Not that he could blame him for wanting to, Clay had wanted to do anything possible to let others know Elena was taken back when she was home.

Nick returned moments later with a black V-neck of his, which Annie took gratefully. Pulling it over her head her senses were filled with Nick's scent, which meant it was one he had worn already otherwise it would have smelled like laundry detergent. Annie didn't mind that it smelled like him or that it was several sizes too big on her. In fact, she kind of liked it. She wasn't the only one, Nick quite liked seeing her in his shirt.

"Jeremy, I'm going to need to go back to school. Get some more of my things." She had originally only packed for the weekend, hopeful that the hunt would be over by then. Clearly it wouldn't be seeing as the whole pack had yet to come home.

"You could buy some new things." Jeremy offered at the same time Nick offered her free range of his closet.

"That's nice of you, both of you. But I'd really like some of my own things." They understood, sort of. At least they agreed to let her return to school as long as one of the guys went with her. Jeremy wanted to send Clay, but Annie knew Clay wanted to be home when Elena decided to show up. So Annie volunteered Nick. They were set to leave first thing the next morning.

…BNB…

"Ready for our road trip?" Nick asked sounding enthusiastic when Annie entered the kitchen a half hour after he had acted as her personal alarm clock. She had thrown on the same clothes as yesterday. The tee she borrowed from Nick still smelled mostly like him, with a little of her scent mixed in.

"I get to pick the tunes." Was Annie's response. They were taking Nick's car which meant Nick got to drive. If she couldn't drive, Annie at least wanted control over what they listened to on the way.

Annie got to pick the music, but neither of them really listened to it as they spent most of the ride talking. The conversations weren't deep or meaningful, but they were entertaining and led to laughter. No one could make Annie laugh as much as Nick could. He just had a way of making her feel more at ease. At least, he did when he wasn't insinuating things, especially now that Annie knew they weren't all jokes. When they were getting close to the city they stopped for food at an all you could eat fish place that Annie and Clay would sometimes eat lunch at. A contest ensued to see who could eat the most fish. Nick won.

They arrived at her dorm at a little past 11, meaning Annie's roommate would most likely still be sleeping. Nick took in all of his surroundings as they made their way to Annie's room, fascinated with this part of her life. When they got to her door Annie put a finger to her lips, signaling him to keep quiet. Unlocking her door she moved silently into the room so as not to wake Caroline. She went straight to filling her duffel with clothes from her closet while Nick grabbed some from the dresser. As he was methodically stuffing clothes from the dresser into the duffel he noticed the picture frames resting on top of the dresser. They were filled with photos of the pack: Jeremy, Elena, and Clay. There was one of Nick and Annie after a snowball fight during one of her winter breaks. She had jumped on his back in an attempt to take him down; they were both smiling like crazy. Nick had that same picture on his own dresser.

"I think that's enough to last a while." Annie jostled Nick out of his thoughts as she zipped up the duffel. It was the first either of them had spoken since entering the room and Nick checked to see if Annie had woken up her roommate. She didn't, the girl was still out like a rock.

"Does she always sleep this late?" Nick asked nodding towards Annie's snoring roommate.

"Pretty much." Annie responded as she pulled a water bottle from the mini fridge and two aspirin from her drawer, setting them on the table beside Caroline. "It's just something we do," Annie explained at Nick's questioning glance. Crossing back over to her bed she reached out, planning on hoisting her duffel on her shoulder. Nick beat her too it, grabbing the bag and carrying it for her. Thankfully Caroline remained asleep. It would have been hard to explain why Annie was emptying out her closet. Unfortunately, they ended up running into Ben as they were waiting for the elevator.

"Annie, where've you been?" Ben greeted her, stopping on his way down the hall. She could feel Nick's questioning gaze on her as they both waited for her answer.

"I've been at home. There was a family emergency. I just came back to grab some more of my things." Annie chose her excuse carefully, giving enough information that it wouldn't cause more questions but not too much that she wouldn't be able to recall the lie.

"I'm so sorry. If there's anything I can do" Ben immediately apologized, taking a step towards Annie.

"We've got it covered." Nick spoke up, placing the hand not holding Annie's bag on her shoulder and eyeing Ben irritably.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Ben Anders." Ben introduced himself while sizing Nick up and making a point to square his shoulders and puff out his chest. Nick's gaze darkened. So this was the pansy that kissed Annie.

"Nick Sorrentino. I'm a _very_ close friend of Annie's." Things really couldn't get much more awkward than they were at that moment. It was like Nick and Ben were having a contest. A contest Nick won when the elevator finally showed up and Annie went with Nick. She spared Ben a quick goodbye before pulling Nick into the elevator with her and slamming her hand against the door close button.

Nick wore a satisfied smile all the way back to the car. Even though Annie knew Ben would probably start some rumor about her being a slut—especially seeing as she was obviously wearing a man's shirt—she couldn't make herself care. She would only be at school for a few more months, she could survive the rumors till then.

"I'm glad you came with me," Annie admitted as they merged onto the highway. It was nice, spending time with just Nick. "I miss you. When I'm at school." School would be so much better if the pack could be there with her. It wasn't that Annie didn't like school, it had been her idea to go. She just got home sick.

"I miss you too Annie. A lot." Nick glanced down at the brunette sitting beside him with a smile. Reaching over he took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. Nick held her hand for the rest of the trip. They didn't stop to eat on the way home, instead they drove straight through. Once again Nick grabbed Annie's bag from the car before she could get her hands on it so she made her way empty-handed to the house.

Both of them could smell it as soon as they set foot in the house. Elena was back. Following her scent Annie ran up the stairs, leaving Nick to follow behind her. Elena was in her room. Annie knocked twice before barging in tackling Elena in a hug. She had been on the phone with Diane, but Elena quickly disengaged from that conversation in favor of Annie. Nick joined them shortly, after dumping Annie's bag in her room, saying his own hello to Elena.

"Your bag is in your room for you to unpack." He informed Annie. "Unless you want me to do it. I have no problem going through your undergarments if that's what it takes." The last was added with his trademark trouble smile making Annie quick to claim she'd get it. Elena offered to help and that's what the two did while they caught each other up on life. Well, at least life since Thanksgiving break.

"I can't believe Nick and you kissed." Elena exclaimed while folding some of Annie's shirts. "I guess I never thought he'd actually make a move." Apparently Elena was as aware of Nick's feelings for Annie as Clay had been. When Annie told her what had happened with Ben while waiting for the elevator Elena couldn't hold back her laughter. She could just picture the expression on Nick's face while all of it went down.

"I'm so glad you're here." Annie admitted with a small smile. "The family's never really complete without you. I've really missed you." Although Elena couldn't verbally admit as much, she did squeeze Annie's hand before moving to hang the last item in the closet.

The two went downstairs together, heading to the kitchen for some food. That's where Nick found them and informed Annie him and his dad were going into town to wait for Pete's bus. He then asked if she wanted to come with them. After being informed there would be food involved Annie readily agreed. She extended an invite to Elena, but she declined.

Pete's bus was late. That made the Sorrentino men antsy. Nick began bouncing his knee, a nervous tic he had as long as Annie could remember. Annie placed her hand on his knee to still it, making Nick choke on the huge bite of pie he had just taken. Almost immediately Annie started to move her hand away, but Nick wouldn't let it as his hand flew down and interlocked his fingers with hers. Annie, who hadn't expected that, blushed slightly at the contact. Nick noticed, and getting that kind of reaction from Annie had him smiling. Thankfully Antonio had been too busy eavesdropping on the locals to notice anything happening between the two pups sitting across the table from him.

"Let's wait for Pete outside." Antonio suddenly suggested as he stood up and threw some money on the table for their meal. Nick and Annie were a little confused by it, but stood to follow Antonio anyways, letting go of the others hand as they did. Before they could get too far the Sheriff and her Deputy had come up to them, expecting introductions.

"Antonio Sorrentino," Antonio took the hand the Sheriff offered. "This is my son Nick, and…" Before he could introduce Annie the Sheriff was interrupting. She hadn't known the two men, but she did know the girl.

"Annie Danvers." At the mention of the Danvers name the table of locals snapped their attention on the girl who stood between the two unfamiliar men. "I didn't know you were home from school."

"Yeah, I'm just taking a little time off." Annie replied with a small smile. Unlike the rest of the pack, Annie had tried to have a decent reputation with the townsfolk. Over the years the people of Bear Valley got accustomed to her, and even saw her as the one redeeming Danvers. This was how Annie got her job of doing PR for the pack.

"Still graduating this spring?" Nick's eyebrows rose at that, not expecting anyone from town to know Annie well enough to know she was in college and when she was graduating.

"That's the plan. Hopefully Bear Valley could use another nurse when I do." The Deputy was the one who assured her with all the hunting season accidents the town was sure to need her. He went on to connect hunting accidents to how his hunting friend mentioned seeing a wolf up by the Danvers' place.

"If a wolf is settling on your property, we're going to have to come up there." The Sheriff added to Annie. Antonio was the one to answer her, assuring her they understood.

"We've all heard wolves up there before." The deputy chimed in, sending a hostile look at Nick. It annoyed Annie that the people in town could immediately act cold towards her pack simply because they didn't chose to socialize in town much. There was no reason for the Deputy to antagonize Nick.

"Yeah, they've passed through. But they keep on the move," Nick was only slightly less hostile towards the Deputy. Normally Annie wouldn't condone it, saying it only sparked more distrust in the townspeople, but she had to admit the Deputy did deserve it for how he was treating Nick.

Sensing the hostility the Sheriff interrupted, assuring they just want to catch the wolf and stop the attacks. Apparently there was another missing girl. This was news to Annie. Apparently it was to Nick and Antonio as well seeing as they shared a look after that. Before anyone had a chance to say anything else the bell above the door rang and Pete called out to them. His bus had finally arrived. After another knowing look with his father Nick stepped forward, playfully pushing Pete back towards the door and claiming they were just heading home. Annie followed behind them as Antonio brought up the rear, claiming they would help in any way they could.

It seemed no sooner had they stepped out the door that the Sheriff and Deputy started talking about them. All four of them had anticipated it, and were listening to see what they would say about their interaction. The Deputy mentioned how everyone from Stonehaven seemed odd to him. Of course, the Sheriff tried to remain diplomatic about the Danvers and their guests.

"They're not bad people. Look at Annie. She's a very nice, smart girl." Annie was surprised to hear the Sheriff talk so highly of her. She knew people around here tolerated her better than the other pack members, but she didn't think any of them actually liked her.

"Pretty too," the Deputy added, surprising Annie even more. "Seems to be the only normal one in the lot of them. It's a shame she ended up with that family."

"Looks like somebody's got an admirer." Pete interrupted the eavesdropping as he engulfed Annie in a big hug. "I've missed ya kid. How's life?"

"Pretty good, all things considering." Anne responded once Pete set her down and she could breathe again. "How about you? How's touring?"

"Amazing. I've got so many stories to tell you guys." Pete rubbed his hands together, showing his enthusiasm. Pete always had like telling stories.

Pete's stories about touring lasted all the way back to Stonehaven as Annie kept asking him different questions making him expand on his answers. She couldn't imagine what life on the road would be like, all the challenges it would pose for a wolf. Pete was one of the members she didn't get much chance to see as his band schedule rendered him unable to come home during her school breaks. It's what made seeing him now so bittersweet. It was a shame it took something so horrible to bring everyone back together.

"I think you'd really like everyone. I wish you could meet 'em." Pete commented as he finished another one of his stories.

"Maybe I'll become a groupie after graduation." Annie joked with a smile, making Pete laugh.

"I've really missed you Princess." There was that nickname again, this time in English. Annie didn't know how it came about, but she knew it was a term of endearment and not meant to be sardonic.

"You wouldn't have to miss me if you came around more," She chided him good-naturedly. "But I know how musicians must suffer for their music." With a kiss on the cheek and a goodnight thrown to all three of them Annie headed up the stairs to her room. It had been a long day.

When the three had arrived back at Stonehaven it was to find the others had retired to bed. Annie supposed everyone felt they should rest up while they could, prepare for the hunt. She knew she ought to rest up too, but she was having a hard time falling asleep. Counting sheep had never helped her, and the sounds of crickets from her open window doing the trick tonight. Slipping out of bed she grabbed the shirt from the spot on the floor where she had discarded it earlier and pulled it over her head. It still smelled enough like Nick that it did the trick; it comforted her enough that she could fall asleep.

Annie woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon. It was a pretty good way to wake up. On a mission to make it to the kitchen before the bacon was all gone, Annie pulled on the first pants she found, fixed her hair into a messy braid, and left her room. Everyone but Elena was downstairs when Annie arrived, and they all looked up as she came in.

"Is that one of Nick's shirts?" Pete asked in slight confusion after giving Annie a good morning hug.

"Yeah, it is." She murmured, taking a seat at the table.

"You slept in my shirt?" Nick raised an eyebrow at her from across the table. Pete was still staring at her in confusion, not knowing anything that had transpired between his two pack mates since winter break.

"Why would you even have one of his shirts?" Pete asked before Annie could respond to Nick's question. Not that she had even wanted to answer either of their questions. As Annie's embarrassment grew, the kitchen seemed to get twice as hot. Thankfully Antonio had the courtesy to break up the conversation by suggesting Nick go get Elena so they could all eat. Though Pete was still waiting for an answer as he stared her down from his seat next to her.

"I ran out of clothes so he let me borrow one of his shirts until I could get more of my stuff from school." Annie finally admitted, hoping that would be enough of an answer for Pete.

"So, did you sleep in it?" Pete asked Nick's question as a follow-up. He still seemed a little confused as to why she was wearing it now that she had her own clothes.

"Yes, I slept in it. And that's all the questions you get on that subject." Annie quickly responded, she could hear Nick's footsteps in the hall and didn't want him to start in on the subject as well. To prevent Nick from picking up where he had left off Annie went to the fridge to get herself some juice. By the time she was back at the table, Elena had joined them.

Antonio started filling everyone's plates with sausage from his pan. When Elena told him he gave her too much everyone stared for a moment. She put it down to city living, that she's had to eat less there and that she's been trying to get her appetite back up.

"Impossible," Pete declared. "I tell the crews I travel with I have an immobile pituitary gland. Otherwise with all the food I eat I'd be reality show huge." Nick and Clay chuckled at that.

"It's easier when you're a guy." Elena retaliated.

"She's right. I've had to tell several people I have an eating disorder and that food's a touchy subject so I could get away with eating so much." Annie backed her up, to which Elena gave her a thankful smile. It only made Pete chime in on Nick and Clay's laughter. A stern look from both Jeremy and Antonio quickly quieted them.

As soon as everyone was seated, Jeremy had taken the first bite, and signaled for the others to eat all the boys practically inhaled the food piled high on their plates. Elena was the only one to attempt starting a conversation, she wanted to start tracking immediately. She was just like Clay, wanting to start the hunt as soon as possible. Though Elena wanted to start so it would be over and she could leave while Clay just wanted the Mutt to pay. Jeremy gave Elena the same answer he had given Clay, they were to wait for the whole pack to be home. For now, Jeremy wanted them to rest.

"I don't need to rest, I have work to do." Elena murmured once Jeremy had left the room.

"It's true she's out of practice. We should take it easy on her." Pete spoke around the huge amount of food he had in his mouth. The pack was used to him talking with his mouth full, the only reason they could understand what he was saying.

Insisting she didn't need anyone to take it easy on her led to Nick challenging Elena to a fight. He gave her 5 minutes to meet him out back. The pack slowly disbanded with Elena and Annie heading upstairs: Elena to change into more comfortable clothes and Annie to check her email as well as grades to see if Friday's test had been posted yet. It hadn't. A little disappointed about not knowing whether she passed yet, she logged into her email and went through her unread messages. There were the regular emails about activities on campus and different clubs. There was even one from her professor saying the test scores wouldn't be posted until later that week. Deleting them as she went she came across an address she didn't recognize. Clicking on it her hands began shaking as she read the short message with no name attached to it.

_I know what you are. I've been watching you for a while. Adriano wasn't hiding you from the world, he was hiding you from me._

Attached to the email were several photos, most of which Annie was the subject of. There was one of her and Clay walking on campus, one of her in class, and some of her around campus with her friends. The last picture was a picture of Annie's dorm room, but that wasn't the real subject of the picture nor what caused her heart to sink into her stomach. In the reflection of the mirror above Annie's dresser she could make out the mutilated form of Caroline. The time stamp read 8 am that day.

She didn't realize she was crying until a tear fell on her hand. Caroline and Annie hadn't been great friends. They gave each other space and had different circles of friends, but they had their moments. Annie would always leave a bottle of water and some aspirin beside Caroline's bed when she came in drunk from the night before and Caroline would snag Annie extra food from the cafeteria—knowing Annie had the appetite of a college guy. Now she was dead.

Annie didn't join the others in the backyard. Once she finally calmed herself down enough she unplugged her laptop and took it with her in her search for Jeremy. She found him and Antonio watching the fight from Jeremy's studio. Both of them looked up when she entered and immediately could tell something was wrong. Though she had calmed down, there were still tear stains on her face.

"There's something you need to see." Annie stated shakily, placing her computer on the desk by the window. After opening up to the email Annie stepped back as she let both Jeremy and Antonio read it.

"When did you get this?" Jeremy asked after thumbing through the photos.

"I just checked it a few minutes ago. Jeremy, he killed Caroline." Unable to hold her emotions back Annie let out a choked sob. Immediately Jeremy wrapped his arms around her in both comfort and protection while Antonio placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Do you think it has any connection to what's happening here?"

"I don't know. Possibly. Whoever it is has targeted you for a while. I wouldn't rule out anything at this point." Jeremy answered after a moment of thought. The sound of laughter from the backyard brought the trio's attention to the group outside that was just disbanding.

"Would it be okay to ask we don't share this with them right away?" Annie asked, not wanting to drag the rest of the pack into it. Jeremy agreed after another couple minutes of silent deliberating. Though Annie would have to agree to stay with one of the pack at all times. And until her threat was cleared up, even if they found the Mutt, Annie would not be returning to school. She had expected as much and she didn't put up much of a fight on it. In truth it would be both depressing and weird to return to school without Caroline there. Not to mention creepy seeing as whoever emailed her had kept pretty close tabs on her while at campus.

Annie spent the day doing mundane chores to try to keep her mind off of the email and the picture of Caroline. Starting with laundry she grabbed her own dirty clothes then told the pack to bring down whatever they needed washed. While the loads were running she went through each room: sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and dusting until most of the first floor was spotless. Logan arrived just as she was finishing folding the last load of laundry. Greetings were skimmed over as Nick dragged him downstairs to where Jeremy and Elena were. Annie followed the rest of the pack downstairs, knowing now that everyone was there it was time for Jeremy to inform them of his plan.

"A local girl was killed by a Mutt. Her body was dumped on the outskirts of town and now we have hunters on the edge of our property. With a bounty on this wolf you can be sure that there will be more. We're going to put an end to this. Tonight. Let's not forget that we could be dealing with anybody that has crossed our path in the past." At that last statement Jeremy's eyes flicked towards Annie. He quickly moved on to the rest of the pack, not wanting to draw too much attention to her.

Moving on with his plans he began dividing the pack into teams. Peter and Logan were to head to West Bear Valley while Annie, Antonio and Jeremy took Main Street, leaving Elena, Nick and Clay with the industrial area. Annie suspected Jeremy was keeping her close to him and Antonio because of the email, otherwise she would most likely would have gone with Logan and Peter. Main Street wasn't large enough to require more than two of them to patrol it. Of course she didn't say anything about it. If Jeremy thought that was best, then that's what she would do. As everyone started filing out Annie fell into step beside Nick.

"Be careful out there." Annie murmured as they started up the stairs. Her nerves were even more on edge after that morning's events and she couldn't help but feel the danger had escalated for everyone.

"We'll be fine." Nick assured her, throwing his arm over her shoulder. "We outnumber the bastard and the hunters in this town aren't smart enough to bag any of us." They had reached the top of the stairs at that point. Sending Annie a parting wink he went to join Elena and Clay. Annie watched them take off before going to join Jeremy and Antonio. Their plan was to park at the top of Main Street and work their way down trying to sniff out the Mutt.

They were working their way down Main Street for the second time that night when they got the call from Clay. Elena had found the Mutt's place. He hadn't been there at the time, but they got a good read on his scent and would recognize it if they came across it again. There had been another kill as well. Elena had found the scalp of a girl, most likely the missing one the Sheriff had mentioned. After Jeremy hung up they returned to the car and headed back home.

Everyone regrouped in the den. Logan and Pete had been the last to arrive, and Jeremy waited for them before recapping what they found out. Everyone was suggesting the actions that could be taken next. All Jeremy had agreed on so far was that they should keep a surveillance on the Mutt's place and grab him when he comes out.

"What if he's already been back and smelled Clay, Elena and Nick? He could have changed his home base by now." Logan speculated. If that was the case then a surveillance wouldn't be of any use. They'd be back at square one trying to locate him again.

"I have an idea," Anne spoke up for the first time. She had been sifting through everything they knew about the Mutt so far and had come full circle back to her original idea of how she could be of use to the hunt. With everyone's eyes on her she was a little hesitant to voice her strategy, but she had to say something so she pressed on keeping her eyes focused solely on Jeremy. "Use me as bait."

* * *

><p><em>AN Hey everyone! Hope you all are enjoying this because I'm having a lot of fun writing it. Thank you to demonicseer and HeavenlyKitten for your reviews. I enjoy hearing what you think. As always Reviews are lovely. _

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Are you crazy?!" Nick exclaimed, looking at Annie as though she might be.

"No way in Hell Princess." Clay stated gruffly, shaking his head to punctuate his thoughts on the matter. The others had similar comments, all disagreeing with Annie's idea. It didn't matter what everyone thought though, not really. It only mattered what Jeremy thought.

"That's not going to happen." Jeremy stated calmly, his eyes piercing Annie when she turned to him for his answer.

"So far the Mutt's targets have been brunette females in their late teens to early twenties that are of average height. That's me." Jeremy let Annie's words sink in, and Annie could see something click in his head. He had never stopped to think the Mutt had an MO.

"Even more of a reason for you not to be bait." Nick answered as though that should be obvious.

"Nothing would happen to me. You guys would have a perimeter wherever I went." Annie insisted. She needed to do this. It was one of the few contributions she could make to the hunt.

"That's not something I am willing to risk. The answer is no." Jeremy's voice was still calm, but it rang with the finality of an order from the Alpha. Annie had no choice but to accept his decision.

The meeting didn't last much past that decision. As the others dispersed Annie sank onto the couch with her elbows on her knees. She couldn't help but feel a little disheartened at the outcome of the meeting. Caught up in her thoughts, Annie hadn't noticed there was another straggler until the couch sunk further down from the weight of him sitting beside her.

"I don't get it Annie. Why are you so set on the crazy idea of being bait?" Nick asked after sitting there in silence for a few moments.

"It's not that crazy." When Nick murmured a contradiction to her statement she turned her head towards him. "It's a way for me to contribute, to feel like I'm actually needed in this hunt." Tears were building at the corner of Annie's eyes. With everything that had happened in the past few days her emotions were running haywire and a part of her was feeling as if she had no real place in the pack. Not when it came to the hunt. Clay was the muscle, Elena the tracker, Nick had connections to get information, and Logan and Pete offered an extra level of intimidation. Annie felt like the odd one out.

As soon as Nick saw those tears threatening to fall he felt his heart constrict. Pulling her to him he kissed her hair and just held her for a moment. "Don't ever think that you're not needed. The pack needs you Annie…I need you." He murmured into her hair.

They sat like that for a little while longer, until Annie felt up to moving. Walking upstairs together they paused outside of Annie's door. Without saying a word Annie wrapped her arms around him in a hug that was her silent thank you as well as her goodnight. It was also her chance to fill her senses with his scent one more time before he left for his own room. She was still wearing his shirt, purposefully not washing it earlier so she could have it to get through tonight. Soon it would lose Nick's warm scent, but it still had at least one more night left in it.

The next morning found Annie pacing around the kitchen, keyed up from the caffeine she had been drinking for the past hour while Elena and Pete were downstairs going over Mutt files and Clay and Logan were out front practicing sparring moves. While everyone else was busy preparing she was once more left to wonder just what her part was. As if sensing her self-doubt Nick met her in the kitchen taking her hand and pulling her out the back door.

"Nick, what are you doing?" She asked as she sped up so he wasn't dragging her.

"If you're going to walk you might as well go somewhere other than from one side of the kitchen to the other." Smiling down at her he moved his hand so their fingers were intertwined as they headed further into the woods behind Stonehaven. His spontaneity and thoughtfulness had Annie smiling at him in return.

They didn't talk as they made their way randomly through the trees. Nick sensed that Annie would rather be left to her own thoughts at the moment. He only planned on interrupting if they took a turn towards where they went last night. A coupled miles later Annie's nose was twitching as it picked up on an unpleasant smell.

"Do you smell that?" Annie asked, turning to Nick and finding he was sniffing the air as well. They made eye contact for a moment before taking off in the direction the scent was coming from.

Annie was faster, reaching the body first. Frozen in shock her hand covered her mouth as she kneeled on the ground by the boy. Another victim of the Mutt. He couldn't be more than nine years old. Nick arrived a few moments after her, murmuring a quiet 'God.' Placing a hand on Annie's shoulder he told her they needed to get the others, but she couldn't move. Eventually Nick got her to her feet. This time Annie didn't run ahead, but stuck beside Nick as they took off for the house. The others needed to know.

Clay and Elena were outside when they got to the house. It didn't escape their notice that Elena had her bags with her, but that wasn't what was important at the moment. "You're going to want to see this." Nick interrupted them. Elena looked from Nick to Annie. All Annie could manage to do is nod in agreement. That was all it took for her and Clay to follow them. Elena reacted as Annie had, shocked that the victim was a child. Annie was still slightly shell shocked herself when Jeremy and the others arrived. They confirmed the scent. It was the same Mutt who killed the girls.

"What are you doing?" Elena demanded when Clay moved over the boy's body.

"He dumped him here to put a target on our backs. We have to move him." He responded, continuing to bend down. Before he could move any closer the faint sound of breaking branches and a dog barking broke through the quiet.

"There's hunters on our property." Jeremy stated what the group had heard.

"Trespassing won't matter if they find this." Antonio spoke up, looking to Jeremy for his orders. Clayton didn't wait, going back towards the boy he asked Nick to help him.

"Don't touch him," Annie spoke for the first time, making Nick pause as he was bending down. "Your fingerprints on the body won't help our situation."

"Annie, if they find the body we'll be overrun with police." Clayton responded, condescension creeping into his voice.

"No, she's right. It will be much worse if they catch us trying to cover this up." With Jeremy backing Annie up Clay was forced to step away from the body. He was a beat behind Nick who had already moved back to where Annie was standing. They didn't move a moment too soon as the hunter's arrived on the scene just after Clay moved away. As it was, it still looked a little suspicious with the whole pack standing around the body.

"What the Hell did you people do?" One of the Hunters, a Braxton, asked in an accusatory tone.

"We had nothing to do with this." Unfortunately Clay was the first to speak. He had the worst reputation with the locals, therefore he wasn't the best one to make a positive case for the pack. One of the other Hunters with Braxton went to take a better look at the boy, he immediately identified him as the Richardson's boy.

"We just found the body, we were about to call the police." Jeremy assured the hunters, with Elena chiming in about how it looked like another wolf kill. The hunters didn't take kindly to either of their statements.

"Sounds like something the Sheriff will decide. In the meantime I think we'll be sticking around. Make sure no one tampers with the evidence." Braxton looked straight at Clay as he spoke. Antonio assured him none of them would tamper with any evidence while Jeremy stated the best thing would be for all of them to move away from the body and call the Sheriff.

"Look I don't know what you people are doing out here. This is the second wolf kill in a couple of days and you've got Goddamn tracks all over your property." Hostility was creeping into Braxton's voice, something that would only hurt this situation. Clayton met his hostility head on spitting out how it was private property.

"Maybe you'd like to explain what the Richardson boy is doing out here?" Braxton spat back at him.

"This boy's death is a terrible tragedy. But I'm sure you've noticed our property is quite extensive. It's impossible to keep tabs or control what wildlife moves through it." Annie spoke up, her voice soft and calming. It was the same tactic used to calm down erratic patients, she was hoping it might transfer over to this situation. It looked like it might have had a positive effect as the hostile look in Braxton's eyes softened slightly as he took in Annie's words.

"You're implying what's happened here is our fault." Once again Clay opened his big mouth and like most times hostile words came out. Annie might be good at being the go between for the pack and the townspeople, but she couldn't do that when Clay kept talking.

"Dead body, your property, you do the math." Braxton's hostility was back as he once again answered with an implication that the pack was at fault.

After that the two went back and forth at each other, getting more and more heated. A fight would soon break out if someone didn't do something. It was around that thought that Braxton's dog started barking like mad and lunging at Elena. Looking from the dog to Elena, Annie realized she was goading the dog. It was a pretty good idea.

Clay was still muttering things to Braxton, but the latter's attention was now more focused on his dog. Though when Clay told him it was time for him to go Braxton's attention returned to Clay as he popped the safety on his gun. Before he could do anything with it Clay had grabbed it from him, slamming the butt of the gun against his face. Falling to his butt Braxton lost hold of his dog's leash and it went running away.

"Next time you pop the safety off your gun, I'm going to give you a reason to use it." Clay threatened before returning it to him by pushing it roughly at Braxton's chest.

Jeremy quickly stepped in at that point, claiming that the best thing would be to do what's right by the boy and his family. Turning towards the Sorrentino men he ordered them to escort the hunter's to the front gate then wait for the Sheriff.

"May I go with them?" Annie asked, not wanting to stay by the boy's body anymore. When Jeremy nodded his head in permission Annie immediately turned foot and quickly caught up to Nick who brought up the rear of the exit party.

Nick glanced up when she fell in step beside him, but didn't say anything. Annie recognized his 'business' face. The one he put on when doing work for the pack. His eyes held none of the humor they normally did, instead they were set to intimidate. Nick might be the lighthearted one in the bunch, but when work needed done he could be counted on to do it and do it right. Even so, Annie missed the real side of Nick whenever the business side was around.

"If Blue ends up dead I'll kill the son of a bitch." Braxton muttered as they continued walking towards the house. Though he was putting on a tough front, Annie could sense his anxiety over his missing dog. Feeling a bit sorry for him, Annie quickened her pace until she was beside the trio, who automatically looked up at the movement.

"I'll keep an eye out for Blue. Search the property. Does he like bacon?" Braxton seemed taken aback by Annie's offer. Danvers' weren't normally sociable or thoughtful in his experience.

"He prefers sausage," he answered, then added "appreciate it," with the smallest of smiles. Annie felt it was a huge accomplishment.

Falling back to walk beside Nick again, Annie caught his eyes. For a brief moment they weren't intimidating, softening slightly as he rolled them in response to her offering help to Braxton. Annie just shrugged as her reason for doing it. That ended their minimal communication until they reached the front gate and sent the hunters on their way.

"Are you really going to waste sausage on his stupid dog?" Nick turned to Annie once the hunters had driven off.

"Yes, it's called being nice. It works much better at getting them off our backs than your approach." Annie retorted, mimicking Nick's 'business' face. Of course, it looked hilarious on her because Annie had never been anything close to intimidating. Even in wolf form she was the runt of the pack.

"You might want to work on your intimidating look. It's more cute than fear invoking." Annie stuck her tongue out at Nick for that comment, making him chuckle.

Antonio stood to the side of his Son and Annie, giving them some semblance of privacy. He attempted not to watch their interaction, but it had always fascinated him how different Nick was around Annie. Nick tended to be more genuine around her, letting go of the fronts he put on for the pack or for outsiders. In some ways Annie allowed him to be freer. When he heard the Sheriff's car down the road Antonio made an executive decision to send Annie and Nick inside.

Nick and Annie followed Logan and Pete into the house. Jeremy was already in the den with Clay and Elena, whose conversation ended upon their entry when Pete announced the hunters were gone. Logan reminded them all it wouldn't stay that way for long by adding 'for now' onto Pete's statement. Taking a seat on the end of the couch, with Nick leaning against the arm of it beside her, Annie turned her attention to Elena who began trying to understand the Mutt's plan by talking through his previous actions.

"He's drawing attention to us and he's upped the stakes by killing a kid," Pete answered Elena's question about what the Mutt's game plan was.

"He's escalating, turning up the heat bit by bit," Jeremy added on to Pete's answer. It only confused Elena more, she wanted to know why. Of course Logan had an answer from a psychological standpoint—his psychologist side showing through—stating the Mutt was unstable and unpredictable.

"Yeah, except for the part where he's targeting us." Sarcasm was only slightly evident in Nick's words. Clay shared his own theory that the Mutt just liked killing women and children and wanted to flaunt it on pack territory. Before anyone could chime in with more theories Antonio joined them. The Sheriff was there, heading out to check out the body.

The room was silent for a moment after that until Elena stepped forward and told Jeremy she wouldn't leave until they caught the wolf, not now that a boy had died. So she really was leaving when Annie and Nick found her with her bags in the driveway. Elena was going to let them hunt the wolf without her. That angered Annie a little. Yes, Elena might have felt awkward around Clay and wanted to get back to her life in Toronto, but she should have been able to suck it up. How could the pack mean so little to her? The pack was everything to Annie, it was all she had left. It angered Annie even more when Jeremy thanked Elena, like it was some huge sacrifice she was making. It shouldn't have taken a kid dying to make Elena stay. Two deaths should have been enough.

It didn't look as if Annie's anger would subside anytime soon once Jeremy started dividing up tasks to the pack. Antonio and him would deal with the Sheriff, while he put Elena and Clay on Mutt tracking duty. Nick was given the task of contacting and tracking down Karl Marsten—a Mutt that usually knew all the latest gossip in the Mutt world. Logan and Pete were to back him up as a show of force. It didn't escape Annie's notice that she hadn't been included on any of those lists.

"Jeremy, I am not staying here with nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs." Annie ground out in frustration. "I either go with Clay and Elena, or Nick and the guys." Of course Elena was eager to have a buffer between her and Clay. However, Jeremy didn't agree. He saw Marsten as the lesser of two evils—seeing as he was somewhat civilized for a Mutt. Annie would go with Nick.

"You might want to work on your intimidation face while I try and make contact with Marsten." Nick smirked down at Annie before filing out of the room.

"What does he mean by that?" Pete asked as Annie fell in step with him behind Logan and Nick.

"It's kind of a 'you have to had been there thing'." Annie shrugged it off as they made their way to the kitchen. The three of them put together some sandwiches and discussed tactics for intimidation while Nick was busy making calls to find Marsten. Annie made sure to make a few extra for Nick, knowing he wouldn't have time to make his own. After Pete and Logan promised not to scarf down the extra food Annie went upstairs for a shower. It was more or less to give her some way to occupy the time until they would leave to meet Marsten.

Nick had long been off the phone once Annie returned to her room. He was waiting for her, sitting on her bed and flipping through one of her textbooks mindlessly, immediately setting the book aside when she entered the room. Moving to the bed Annie found a white tee that wasn't hers lying across it. When she sent a questioning glance at Nick he just shrugged, claiming he thought she might be needing a replacement. He knew, that she slept in his shirt the past few nights and that it comforted her, without her having said anything. Before she had time to formulate a response Nick informed her he had reached Marsten and they would be leaving within the hour and just before the door shut behind him he added a 'thanks for the food.'

As soon as he was gone Annie lifted the shirt to her nose, verifying that it did indeed smell like Nick. Knowing the boys would rather leave sooner rather than later Annie wasted no time getting ready. Pulling Nick's soft cotton tee over her head she paired it with dark jeans, a black leather jacket and her black heeled boots—in order to give her more height. Annie would still be the shortest, even in heels, but at least she might stand a chance of being more intimidating. Taking one last look in her mirror Annie tucked a corner of the tee into her jeans to make it a little shorter on her.

She met the boys in the foyer, all of them having been waiting on her. All three had something to say about her outfit. Nick's was a compliment, while Logan asked if she was wearing Nick's shirt to which Pete threw in 'again.'

"Again?" Logan asked turning to Pete who nodded in confirmation that this wasn't the only occurrence. Annie shook her head at the both of them as her and Nick took the lead out the door.

"So where are we meeting Marsten?" Annie asked from her spot in the backseat. Pete had pulled rank and called shotgun.

"Syracuse." Nick responded as he changed lanes, his eyes flicking up to the rearview mirror to meet Annie's.

"Syracuse?" Annie was confused why he would pick that city.

"Yeah. I've been meaning to show you guys the new club I bought. So I asked Marsten to meet us there." Nick had bought a club. That was news to Annie. Apparently it was news to the boys as well because they murmured surprised comments of their own.

A half hour later they were pulling up to a brick building with doors made completely out of glass. Nick led them through the back rooms to the main area, telling them about his newest investment and how it was a work in progress as they went. Antonio didn't know yet, which had Logan remarking it was probably best seeing how stellar Nick's past investments had gone. Irony was evident in the comment. Annie brought up the rear of the group and let the boys banter amongst themselves as she quietly observed her surroundings. After a couple more turns they entered into the club's main room and Nick asked for their opinions.

The interior décor was admittedly dated, it would need a major overhaul, but it wasn't a bad space. Annie admitted as much, which resulted in a huge smile lighting up Nick's face. Of course, Logan and Pete didn't agree with her, but Nick didn't seem to care as much about that. Like an excited child he began leading Annie around—Pete and Logan following behind them—rattling off all the changes he was planning on making. It was in the middle of him describing what he would do to the bar area that the sound of a throat being cleared came from across the room. Marsten had already arrived.

"How did he get here so fast?" Logan asked once they turned and found him standing by one of the emergency exits. No one answered, instead Pete rolled his shoulders as if preparing for a fight stating it was 'time to rock and roll.'

"Let's play it cool," Nick murmured as took a step forward so Annie was a little behind him. A move that didn't go unnoticed by Annie.

"You called." Marsten greeted Nick with a small salute as he covered the distance between the pack and himself. "If it was for my design advice might I suggest starting with a blowtorch?"

"Can I get you a drink?" Nick pointed towards the bar, choosing to ignore the biting comment.

"What, one part vodka and two parts poison?" Marsten asked sarcastically as he came to stand a couple feet in front of the guys. His question caused Nick to pause in surprise before asking if they had any bad blood between them. It took Marsten a moment for he assured him they didn't; it didn't sound too sincere to Annie. It was the first time she was meeting Karl Marsten though, so Annie really didn't know. "I see you've brought an unfamiliar face. I must say it improves the group." Marsten commented as his eyes fell on Annie. "What is your name, dear?"

"Her name isn't important," Nick forced out in a gruff tone before Annie could reply, adjusting his stance so that Annie was even further hidden behind him. "We're here to talk business."

"Touchy," Marsten murmured with a smirk. "A bit protective aren't you. Tell me is it because she's a wolf, a rarity in itself, or because she's wearing your clothes?" Karl Marsten had deduced both facts within moments of entering the place. Her scent had the lupine undertone to it, and had been mixed with the scent Marsten knew to be Nick's. "Which, you look lovely in." Marsten added to Annie, his eye's roaming down her figure. Nick's hands clenched into fists at that, but Annie rested her hand on his shoulder to stop him from doing anything impulsive.

"Shall we get down to what we came here for?" Annie asked, mainly talking to Nick, reminding him of their purpose of meeting Marsten.

"How about we chat over a friendly game of billiards?" Marsten suggested, moving past Nick, Annie and the rest towards the pool table. Nick took Marsten up on that offer, racking up the balls while Logan, Pete and Annie took seats at the bar. Marsten was the one to break, hitting a solid in the corner pocket.

"I'm surprised to see you settled down Nick. I have memories of you being a…man with many flavors." Karl Marsten purposefully glanced at Annie as he lined up his next shot.

"We haven't talked in some time Karl, things change." Nick's response was tight as he tried to hold on to his anger. He was there for pack business, ripping the throat out of Karl Marsten wouldn't do him any good. It might make him feel better, but in the end he needed Marsten's information. "You yourself are a Mutt of international mystery. Last I heard you were in London, yet here you are at a moment's notice. I'm curious to know what you're doing in the area."

"You think I don't know how to set up a Google alert? 'Wolf attacks in upstate New York.' That means something is happening. I like to keep close to the action." He sent a wink in the general direction of Annie at that last part. She simply rolled her eyes at the innuendo.

"What have you heard?" Nick interjected as Marsten went to take his fourth shot in a row.

"Nothing yet, but the fact that you're asking means you haven't heard anything either." Pete was quick to respond to that, throwing out that they knew it was a new Mutt who was on a killing spree. Marsten's only response was that it was very interesting.

"What we want to know is who bit him," Logan added, becoming frustrated with Marsten's game of giving limited responses that barely answered their questions.

"Ah, yes. The million dollar question." Marsten smiled. "I could find out." He added in a suggestive tone.

"For a price I'm sure," Nick murmured, knowing the way Marsten worked. Karl never gave away good information completely free.

"Just some good will from the pack," Marsten answered with a small shrug. When Logan asked if he had something specific in mind Marsten smiled, as though he was waiting for that question. "I'm stuck by your rules. Always on the move, I've never stayed in one place for long."

"And we still don't know what it is you want," Logan deadpanned. Marsten was getting on his nerve, which took a lot since his job as a psychologist was to be understanding and patient.

"Just an open mind from Jeremy. For my desire for territory. Sometimes it's nice to have a place to put your feet up." Marsten responded, clearing the pool table as he hit the eight ball in. "Oh and one more thing." Setting his pool stick down and moving towards the bar he stopped in front of Annie. "If you ever fancy hanging around someone with class, let me know. It was a pleasure meeting you." Before Annie could say or do anything Marsten took her hand, pressing a kiss against it.

The sound of wood cracking brought Marsten's attention back to Nick, whose grip had tightened to the point of breaking his pool stick. "Let me know what Jeremy's decision is and I'll find out who bit your little problem. Maybe I'll even walk him up to your front door." With that Marsten left back towards the way the he had come in. With her hand finally free of Marsten's grasp Annie began rubbing the back of it where Marsten had kissed against her jeans. It didn't do much, the faint scent of Marsten was still on it, but it made her feel a little better.

"So, what do you think?" Logan asked, rising from his seat at the bar and going to lean against the pool table by Nick.

"He's an Ass." Nick stated to which Pete responded that they already knew that. "He's also confident. Already working a deal."

"He clearly knows more than he's letting on." Annie chimed in, coming to stand between Pete and Nick. No one could be that confident unless he held cards his opponent didn't know about.

"Holding out on us isn't a good idea. Jeremy will bust him into a hole. I don't think he's that stupid." Pete commented on Annie's theory.

"He's a sociopath," Logan offered up his psychologist view on it.

"He's a conman," Nick corrected, looking at Annie as he said it. She nodded her head in agreement to both of them as Logan elaborated that a conman is a sociopath who's just good at hiding it.

"He's a creep, no matter which way you slice it." Annie retorted, thinking about the way he had looked at her and subconsciously rubbing the hand he had kissed against her jeans again.

"I've got some vodka if you want to clean your hand," Nick offered, noticing Annie's movement. As he headed towards the bar Annie followed. Not because she felt her hand needed the sanitizing, but because she knew it would remove Marsten's scent. She also knew how much Nick wanted his scent off of her, even if it was just her hand.

"There's definitely something going on there. Isn't there?" Pete whispered to Logan as he watched Nick apply more vodka than need be to Annie's hand, then take a swig out of it.

"They are both showing signs of intimacy, yes." Logan replied, causing Pete to smack him for using the word intimacy. Couldn't he just speak normal instead of in psycho mumbo jumbo?

…BNB…

While Nick and the others had gotten in contact with Karl Marsten, Elena and Clay took to tracking the Mutt downtown. Elena had never realized there were so many bars in Bear Valley, and surprise, surprise, the Mutt had been to all of them. His scent was faint though. He hadn't been to any of them recently, which begged the question: where was his next hunt taking place if not the bars?

She found her answer from a poster taped to a newspaper receptacle. It was some kind of advertisement for a rave in the warehouse district. An abandoned building filled to the brim with teenage bodies that were high and drunk sounded like the perfect Mutt hunting ground. Ripping it off, she handed it to Clay.

"I think we've found where he's going next." Skimming for the address on the flyer Clay nodded, motioning for them to head back to the car. They had a party to crash.

"GPS says this is the place." Clay said as he parked the car outside of one of the warehouse buildings. It was easy to tell they had the right building, music was pulsating from inside.

"I'm going it alone," Elena stated as she undid her seatbelt and started unbuttoning the top few buttons on her blouse. Clay shook his head, claiming that wasn't going to happen. "I can handle this okay. You're so uptight they'll think you're a nark." She insisted, flipping the visor mirror open and applying some lipstick.

"You have to stop thinking I can't control myself. It's not fair. Besides, we're supposed to have each other's back." Elena had to admit Clay had a point. Still, if they both went in together the Mutt would be liable to spook. Clay had a plan for that. She would go inside and herd the Mutt towards the door where Clay would grab him.

"That's not a terrible plan," She admitted, agreeing to it. Checking herself one more time in the mirror she pushed her bangs to the side before heading towards the warehouse.

It was even louder inside the building. Hundreds of bodies were crammed inside, writhing to the techno music and waving glow sticks around. As she made her way through the room a beach ball that was being tossed around got hit her way. Punching it to her right Elena continued till she made her way to a table in the middle of the room that was filled with red solo cups. She surveyed the room from there, trying to pick up on the Mutt both by sight and smell. Eventually she found him, standing against a stack of crates and observing the room around him with a small, twisted smile. Pushing through the crowd Elena made her way towards him. He didn't turn to look at her until she was standing beside him.

"You know who I am?" Elena asked in an authoritative voice.

"I know what you are. I can smell it." He answered calmly. "It's a pity," he added, confusing Elena.

"What is?" She ordered, her eyes narrowing at him. She wasn't in the mood for games.

"That you're the one here." His smile grew colder as his eyes darkened. "I was hoping Annie would come."

* * *

><p><em>AN_

_Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this installment. Thanks again to all those who favorite, follow, and review. All three are appreciated. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on this chapter and the story in general. Thanks for reading!_

_Xoxo_

_Rach_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"I think that's enough." Annie chuckled using the hand that wasn't saturated in vodka to stop Nick from pouring more. Instead of emptying the bottle on her hand Nick brought it to his lips, taking a swig of it. The burn as it went down was welcomed. He held it out to Annie, but she declined. "So spill why did you really buy this dump?" Annie asked as she shook her hand in an attempt to dry it.

"Watch what you're calling my newest baby," Nick defended his project, running his hand along the bar as though comforting it. When he looked back up at Annie his eyes were more serious. "I decided it would give me something to do in Syracuse, if you ended up taking a job here after school." Annie hadn't expected that answer, hadn't realized Nick was that serious about them. That he would uproot his life and replant it where she wanted to be had her looking at him in a new light.

"You really surprise me sometimes." Annie murmured with a small smile. "For instance, I never would have pegged you as the jealous type. Mr. Man of many flavors." Her smile turned teasing as she leaned her left elbow on the bar.

"I never was. Before you." With his free hand Nick tucked a strand of Annie's hair behind her ear. The moment was interrupted by the blaring of an alarm: Pete's phone. By the sounds of the one way conversation it was Jeremy. The Mutt was dead. Clay and Elena were fine, but they hadn't gotten the chance to question him.

"Well, Marsten didn't give us too much." Pete informed Jeremy. Jeremy didn't seem too bothered by that, claiming they'd work on him later. The conversation didn't last much longer. Jeremy gave several directions to Pete before hanging up and that was it. During that time Nick and Annie had moved over to Logan and Pete.

"Boom, cross a killer Mutt off the list of life." Pete announced happily after hanging up.

"Let me guess, Clay got him?" Annie elbowed Nick for that response. Everyone treated Clay like a time bomb. True, when he was pissed he tended to go with violence first and talking later. Still, he had shown self-restraint in the past.

"All I know is Jeremy says you and I can go," Pete nodded to Logan, who shared in Pete's enthusiasm. He had a woman to get back to, whereas Pete was going to try and catch the rest of the band's tour. "As for you two" Pete added turning towards Nick and Annie. "Jeremy gave you strict orders to bring the Princess here straight home."

"Did he say why?" Nick inquired, looking as confused as Annie was. It wasn't like they were planning on going anywhere else, so the fact that Jeremy was making sure they came home, when Pete and Logan didn't have to, was a little odd.

"Nope," Pete shrugged, not seeming as bothered by it as he made Logan hug it out before moving on to Nick.

"No wedgies," Nick warned him, making Annie laugh, before Pete launched himself at him, jumping on him and planting a kiss on his cheek. When Pete jumped off him, Nick murmured 'God' as Pete moved on to Annie.

"I'm gonna miss ya Princess." Embracing her in a big hug he lifted her a foot of the ground, kissing her on the head before setting her back down. "I love you guys, my family" Pete exclaimed before pulling them all into a group hug. He kept his arms around Annie and Logan's shoulder as they left the club and headed for the car.

Nick dropped Logan and Pete at the train station on the way back to Stonehaven and they went through goodbyes one more time. Pete called Nick out, telling him to treat Annie like a Princess should be treated and making Annie blush. He also told Annie to keep Nick's butt in line before hugging them both once more. Goodbyes were always hard for Annie. She ran after Logan and Pete to give them one more hug before they disappeared into the station. Other than Elena, they were the two members of the pack she saw the least throughout the year. When she returned to Nick he pulled her into a side hug as they walked to the car, knowing how much she hated goodbyes.

When Nick and Annie returned to Stonehaven it was to find what was left of the pack waiting in the den. Elena seemed both shaken and slightly angry, not really looking at Clay who sat beside her on the couch. Jeremy was behind his desk while Antonio sat in one of the chairs beside the fire. All four of them looked up when Annie and Nick entered the room.

"Good, you're both home." Jeremy spoke first, remaining in his seat behind the desk. "There's been a development."

"You know who bit the Mutt?" Nick asked expectantly. That was the only development he could see coming from tonight. Though the Mutt had been killed, perhaps they discovered who bit him before he died.

"No, Clay and Elena didn't get the chance to interrogate him." Jeremy responded softly before turning his attention to Elena, silently asking her to share what she had found.

"Before the Mutt died there were a few moments where we talked. He didn't tell me anything about who created him, and he didn't seem too repentant about his killing spree." Elena started. Nick nodded as if he was expecting as much. "Before that though, he…" She paused, looking to Annie. "He knew your name." The room was silent for a moment after that as everyone processed the information. Elena had only told Jeremy what the Mutt had said when she called to inform him the wolf had been killed, hit by a car.

"What do you mean he knew her name?" Nick demanded, confused at how things had turned.

"I mean he seemed to know her. He said it was a pity I was the one there. That he hoped Annie would have come." Elena elaborated, quoting the Mutt. "I tried to get more out of him, even using force, but it only caused him to change." Terror flooded Annie at the information Elena had given. She was fairly certain she hadn't met the Mutt before, his scent hadn't been familiar to her. Even if she had met him before the change, the foundation of his scent would still be the same. Which begged the question, how did he know Annie?

"The email." Annie murmured to the confusion of everyone but Antonio and Jeremy. "He was the one who sent it." Of course there was no way they would know for sure, the Mutt was dead and not able to give them any answers.

"What email?" Nick rounded on Annie, crossing his arms as he stared her down.

"Possibly, though I doubt it. Whoever sent it knew who your father was. Knows what you are. The Mutt would be too new to this world to know it in that much detail." Jeremy answered carefully, thinking through it methodically.

"What email?" Nick repeated louder, sensing that whatever it was, it was not good. Jeremy looked to Annie, sharing a silent communication. It was time they let the others in on the content of the email Annie had received. When she nodded, consenting to sharing the information, Jeremy rose from his seat. Going to sit in Jeremy's chair, Annie logged on to her school email, something she had avoided doing for the past few days. Elena, Clay and Nick all moved to gather behind her as she sifted through her inbox until she got to the unfamiliar address.

"Oh my God," Elena murmured after reading the short message and seeing the pictures.

"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Nick demanded of both Jeremy and Annie as he pointed at the computer monitor.

"I didn't want to worry you over nothing." Annie replied softly, shrinking slightly in her seat at the look Nick shot her.

"Someone stalking you, sending pictures like that, is not nothing." Nick was shouting at that point, not even attempting to rein in his anger. How could Annie be so stupid as to think this wasn't important? Someone was threatening her.

"We had the Mutt dumping dead bodies around town and on our property to deal with. He was top priority. Besides, I was with the pack. I was safe." Annie looked to Jeremy in desperation, searching for help with the situation.

"I made sure she was never alone after the email. One of us was always with her, oftentimes more." Jeremy thankfully chimed in, backing Annie up.

"The pack should still have been informed," Clay, who had been uncharacteristically quiet on the matter, spoke up. "Being aware of another danger is always better than being sidelined by it."

"It was my call as Alpha not to inform you right away. Are you questioning my actions as your Alpha?" Jeremy's words were tinged with hostility and made both Clay and Nick shut up on the subject. Though Annie got the feeling that would not be the last time she'd be hearing it from them both.

"Did you try tracing the address? To see where the email was sent from." Elena asked, looking to Jeremy and Antonio.

"I tried, but it was a dead end." Antonio answered. "The account was deleted and whoever sent it used a public computer at the University library. Whoever it is, they were smart about it."

"What about the girl's body, who took care of that? Obviously nobody found it or else they would have contacted Annie. Either to inform her or to interrogate her." At Clay's words Annie's stomach lurched. She hadn't even thought about what would happen to Caroline's body. God, what kind of roommate was she? Or person for that matter.

"I took care of it. I called in the cleaning crew, made it look like she ran away. Once the University notices she's missed enough classes they'll investigate and spread the news of her running away themselves. Of course, they'll probably call Annie to see if she knows where Caroline might have gone and if she showed any signs of taking off." The pack turned their attention to Annie who sat frozen at the desk. "Annie, we're going to need your cooperation." Antonio added, shaking her out of her thoughts.

"I'm supposed to lie and let everyone think Caroline is still alive?" Annie had seen Antonio do it before, for people she didn't know and had never met. But this was her roommate they were talking about, the girl Annie lived with 9 months out of the year for the past three and a half years.

"I know it is hard Annie, but it's a necessity. We can't have you under any scrutiny or any other attacks be connected to us." Jeremy explained, speaking as the Alpha. Though his concern for Annie showed in his eyes. He didn't always like making his pack do things that were hard. Annie knew Jeremy was right, making Caroline seem like a runaway would be what was best for the pack.

"Caroline was an Art major. She went through her moods. Her paintings didn't always depict the happiest of things. She spent most nights partying and never woke up before 1 in the afternoon. In essence she's the perfect runaway." Annie finally responded, rattling off what she would tell the police when they contacted her. And they would. Annie lived with Caroline, so she would be the best one to ask about Caroline's routine.

"Thank you." Jeremy said with sincerity. Annie simply nodded in response.

"So, we don't know who the bastard his, where he is, or what exactly he's after." Nick spoke up for the first time since he had shouted at Annie, summing up what they knew about Annie's stalker. "Where do we go from here?"

"Since the Mutt tonight knew Annie, or at least about her, perhaps it's somehow connected to him." Elena suggested a starting point.

"Or maybe it was him. He's a psychotic killer. I was a random target. Maybe it all ends with him." Annie mentioned hopefully. Though she wasn't sure how much she actually believed that to be true. There were too many pieces that didn't match up. She just really wanted the whole thing to be over with.

"Tonight's Mutt was newly turned. Some of these pictures date back at least a year. He wouldn't even be aware of the existence of werewolves." Elena clarified, going through the facts. Researching Mutts and their history had been her job when she lived with the pack, she knew how to piece together information to create a clear picture. "He didn't start this."

"But we'll find out who did." Jeremy added confidently. "Elena, you'll go through the files and this time pull up any Mutt that has been near the Syracuse area in the past few years, noting any that have had a run in with the pack. Antonio, check in with your connections down in DC, see if you can get them to decode the address any more than we already could. Clay and Nick you're on bodyguard duty. Anywhere Annie goes you go with her. She is never alone. Annie, even with the wolf dead the townspeople will still be wary of us, you'll need to work your personal relations magic." Jeremy rattled off his orders.

"Jeremy, I need to get back to Toronto. If my…friends hear that Logan's back and I'm still here they'll just ask more questions." Elena pleaded, causing Clay to let out a hostile sigh. "You don't need me. Annie knows the files as well as I do." Contemplating Elena's request Jeremy looked to Annie for verification.

"I can do it if need be," she finally admitted. Annie was just as pissed at Elena as Clay was at the moment. And just like with Clay, Annie's anger stemmed from being hurt. Not only was Elena saying her life in Toronto was more important to her than the pack, but that it was also more important than Annie.

"Thank you Annie. I'll keep in touch and do whatever I can while in Toronto." Elena wrapped her arms around Annie—who was still sitting at the desk—from behind. Annie was still angry with her, but she didn't push away from the contact. Even so Elena could sense her displeasure. Elena also knew family and pack meant everything to Annie and the fact that Annie was helping Elena—both family and pack—would override Annie's anger.

Jeremy officially gave her permission to leave after that, setting Clay storming off to his room. After his door slammed shut Elena told everyone she would leave in the morning. Jeremy and Antonio left shortly after that, most likely to have a drink in the kitchen, leaving Nick and Annie alone. Annie began logging off Jeremy's computer as Nick stared down at her from his spot beside the desk. He had been staring since Jeremy had formed the pack's plan.

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry," Annie finally said, standing from her chair and looking Nick deliberately in the eye. "I still think it was the right decision not to…" Annie didn't get to finish. Pulling her towards him by her leather jacket Nick shut her up with a kiss. It was different than their first couple of kisses. That one was more forceful and passionate than sweet. Nick took his frustration and channeled it into that kiss. Instinctively Annie reciprocated, feeding off of the intensity. Both of them were breathing heavy when they finally parted and Annie found her hands gripping a fistful of Nick's shirt.

"I don't want an apology. Just promise from here on out you won't keep me in the dark. I want to know these things Annie. I want to know everything, good and bad." Covering the small distance between them Annie kissed him again. This one was short and sweet.

"Promise," she murmured once she pulled away.

…BNB…

Elena was gone by the time Annie got up the next day. Which was a feat because everyone else was still in their prospective rooms sleeping when Annie made her way down to the basement. She had a lot of work to do, and not being as familiar with Elena's filing system would only make it take that much longer. After an hour of working through some of the files Annie heard the others start moving around: feet on stairs, shutting of doors, and the stove starting up. She was taping up a map of Syracuse and the surrounding area where she had drawn a radius to work with when footsteps sounded on the steps.

"Clay is in full brood in the nude," Nick sighed as he set a mug of coffee on the table beside Annie. She had heard Clay leave the house earlier, but hadn't known it was to go running. At the moment she wished she would've joined him. Annie could use a run to blow off some of her frustration.

"Elena's being selfish. I don't blame him for being upset she didn't stay. I'm upset too." Picking up the mug Annie turned to face Nick, taking a sip of the freshly brewed coffee before adding, "Not to mention a little overwhelmed."

"I didn't just come to deliver coffee, tell me what to do to help." Annie picked up a file from the table and plopped it in front of Nick in answer before pulling another one in front of her. Other than mapping out the perimeter of where they were looking Annie had also compiled folders of all the Mutts that had a run in with the pack within the last four years. Now it was just a matter of pulling the ones that were in the predetermined area.

They spent a good part of the morning as well as the afternoon looking through the files and they still hadn't found anything. The most recent run-ins with Mutts, save for the recently deceased, were Santos and Cain. Neither of which had been near Syracuse. The Holsten twins passed through several times, but the pack hadn't had problems with them for years. Besides neither of the twins seemed smart enough to pull all this off.

"I give up," Annie exclaimed in frustration. "Hopefully Antonio will find something in DC because I don't think we'll get anywhere with any of this," she sighed, motioning to the stacks of paper around them.

"Let's take a break." Nick agreed, setting aside his file. "We'll unwind a little then come back to this later."

"What did you have in mind?" Annie asked as she followed Nick upstairs.

"Seeing as Clay is supposedly the other half of your bodyguard team and he hasn't done squat, I suggest we join him." Pulling off his shirt and throwing it to the ground he raised an eyebrow at her. "Let's run."

Annie hadn't been on a run in a while, at least not with the pack. Every month at school she'd go to a local park and run alone—it kept the change from occurring at school—but it wasn't the same. She missed running with her pack mates. So she agreed to Nick's suggestion. Though, unlike Nick, who spread his clothes out along the way to the woods, Annie kept hers in a nice pile by the tree line. The transformation hurt a little more, it had been a while since her last run, but once the transformation was complete Annie relished it, the feeling of being on four paws.

Nick was the one to start the game of chase, nuzzling Annie and nipping at her ear before taking off through the woods. His fur was pure black except for the light brown specks on his chest, whereas Annie's fur was a chocolate brown. In a game of chase, it was easier to pick out Nick than Annie, which oftentimes allowed her to sneak up on him. It was after she had done just that, launching herself onto his back and causing a short scuffle, that they went in search of Clay. He was more than a little irritated when they found him, snapping at Annie in a not so friendly way. Clay caught Annie's paw between his jaws as she was trying to get him to play, biting down harder than was necessary, causing Annie to let out a sudden whimper of pain.

Nick immediately lunged at Clay, snapping and biting in retaliation until Clay backed off. Returning to Annie Nick nuzzled her until she let him see her paw. Blood was already matting the fur around the punctures. Annie let him lick it a couple times before shifting to stand, balancing on her good legs. On those three legs she hobbled back to the house, Nick staying close beside her and growling anytime Clay—who followed them—got too close. The boys phased back before Annie and both were arguing as they waited for her.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," Clay argued gruffly with Nick. "I was just pissed off about Elena."

"I don't care if you meant to or not. And I don't give a damn about what you were dealing with. Annie was just trying to help and you _did_ end up hurting her. " Nick normally accepted Clay's excuses about doing impulsive things because of Elena, but this was one time Nick wasn't going to take any of them. In fact he was about to lay into Clay even more, when the rustling of leaves distracted him as Annie stepped out of the trees. She had her shirt balled in her left hand as her right wrist was still dripping blood, though it looked as if the change had helped heal it a little.

"Annie, I'm sorry," Clay started moving towards her but Nick stopped him, pushing him away.

"You don't get to ask her for forgiveness." Nick snapped before turning his back on Clay to ask Annie how her arm was.

"It'll be fine. I think a few bones were broken, but they healed during the change." At the mention of broken bones Nick rounded back around at Clay, about to blow up at him again before Annie stopped him. "Nick, don't. He already feels bad enough." Turning towards Clay she narrowed her eyes slightly. "I know you're pissed and hurt and trying to deal, so this is delivered with pure love. You need to get your shit together. Next time you bite me I'm going to bite back, harder."

Annie let Nick tend to her wound: rinsing it in the kitchen sink, applying isopropyl alcohol that stung like Hell to disinfect it, then wrapping gauze around it. "This hand's been through a lot the past two days huh," Nick joked as he applied medical tape to the gauze.

"It's definitely seen better days," Annie agreed, about to pull her hand away when Nick stopped her, claiming he wasn't done yet. After adding a kiss on top of the gauze he gave Annie her hand back. "We should probably get back to the files." Sighing Annie hopped off the kitchen table and led the way back to the basement.

The second round of research was even slower going than the first since Annie was working with only one hand, and her non-dominant one at that. They added a few more Mutt's to the suspect board, but none they felt really convicted about. At the sound of the dinner bell they set their work aside once more. When Annie took her regular seat beside Clay he sent her an apologetic look. Figuring he'd had enough time to brood over hurting her she offered up a small nod of acceptance.

"Annie, what happened to your arm?" Jeremy asked, noticing the gauze when she started dishing out mashed potatoes on her plate.

"Clay bit her during a run." Nick answered before Annie could. She had been trying thinking of some excuse that would seem plausible so as not to throw Clay under the bus. Apparently Nick had no qualms of giving Clay up to Jeremy.

"Clay, is this true?" Jeremy tone was sharp as he turned his attention to Clay.

"I didn't mean to hurt her." Clay ground out the same answer he had given Nick earlier.

Annie stepped in on Clay's behalf, resulting in his only 'punishment' being dish duty. Nick followed Annie up to her room after dinner, where he sprawled out across her bed as she went to sit at her desk. Giggling the mouse to wake her computer from sleep mode she checked her email, expecting a response from the Dean of the nursing program after emailing him her decision to take a semester off for personal reasons. Her inbox was filled with junk ads from the school for different on campus organization meetings. The response from the Dean was the fifth message down that said he hoped everything would turn out okay and that she could return to finish her last semester in the fall if she felt up to it. That was an immense relief to Annie, as she had half expected him to kick her out of the program. After saving the email Annie went to cleaning out her inbox.

It was as she was deleting all the junk email that a new one popped up from Pete. Email wasn't Pete's preferred mode of contact, he saw it as too formal, but he did send the occasional email when he couldn't get good phone service on the road. Figuring that was the case Annie wasn't too alarmed with receiving an email from Pete. As usual there was no subject—Pete always had a hard time summing up his email in a subject so more often than not he left it blank. It didn't take long after opening it for Annie to realize the email wasn't from Pete.

_I hope you like the present. _

The message was even shorter than before, but as with the last email she had received there were visuals. Pictures of Annie and Pete at the train station that if put together would have made a flip-book of their movement. Pictures of Annie running after Pete and hugging him goodbye showed up as she continued to scroll down to the end. At the bottom, the last picture made Annie stop breathing and had her whole body shaking as though she was having a mini seizure. Abruptly she pulled open her desk drawer, grabbing the flashlight she kept there in case of power outages, and made her way towards the door.

Nick called after her, following behind her as she took off in a run once she hit the front door. She didn't stop until she reached the end of the drive where she was frozen in place. Choking on a sob she let the flashlight fall from her hand, landing by her feet, as she took in the lifeless, bloody body leaning against one of the Stonehaven pillars just as the photograph had depicted. Pete was dead.

* * *

><p><em>AN Another chapter here! I'm really having fun with this story and looking forward to writing the next chapter. Hope everyone enjoyed this update :)_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Nick was the one to call the house phone. He didn't want to leave Annie alone and he knew there was no way she was leaving Pete. It didn't take long for the others to get there.

"He's not wearing his jacket." Antonio commented softly as they all took in Pete's broken body.

"He always took it off before a fight," Nick added, watching as Clay stepped closer to Pete. Annie, who still stood beside him, hadn't said anything since they found the body. Silent tears stained her cheeks as she looked anywhere but at Pete. Winding his arm around her waist, Nick pulled her closer to him for comfort.

"He didn't go down without hurting someone," Clay spoke again after examining Pete's right hand. He held it out to illustrate his point, showing blood on Pete's knuckles that was not his. When Jeremy asked who did it Clay pulled Pete closer to read any scent that was left on him. It was not a scent he was familiar with, another new Mutt. Whoever it was left another message for the pack as Pete's left middle finger had been bitten off, a 'screw you' to the whole pack.

Clay and Nick were the ones who carried Pete's body to the backyard where, morbidly, they had an incinerator. It was tradition that every pack member who died be burned and their ashes spread around Stonehaven land. Annie waited inside with Antonio when they burned the body, sipping at the tea he made for them. She was still too shell shocked to talk when the others returned and simply listened as Jeremy questioned Nick about how they had found the body. Annie was forced to speak when Nick looked to her after telling everyone he followed Annie outside.

"I got another email," She whispered hoarsely. "He used Pete's email address this time. Asking if I liked his 'present' and sending pictures of the last time Pete and I were together. The last one showed Pete's body outside Stonehaven."

"That Son of a Bitch," Nick cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

Jeremy wanted everyone home immediately. He was frustrated, and feeling at fault for being the one to send Logan and Pete on their way without informing them of the danger. There was no way to know the Mutt would go after anyone in the pack, Jeremy had thought Annie was the only one they needed to protect. He had been wrong. Clay was the one to make contact with Elena and Logan. Logan had been with her, answering her phone, and assured them they would come back immediately.

Annie followed behind everyone in a slight daze as they all went to their rooms. It was late, they had a lot to do the next day in preparation for Pete's burial. When she and Nick stood outside her bedroom she couldn't make herself go in. "I don't want to be alone. I can't. Not tonight," she whispered, looking up at him with haunted eyes. She'd seen too much that night, knew she'd be plagued with nightmares and didn't want to face them on her own.

Without much hesitance Nick relented, pulling Annie into her room alongside him. They fell into bed with their clothes still on, Annie curling up to Nick, laying her head on his shoulder and her bad arm on this chest. His scent was comforting, having him there was so much better than wearing his t-shirt. As she slowly relaxed, she fell asleep with her face pressed into Nick's neck. It took a little longer for Nick to fall asleep as he stared down at Annie's bandaged hand. There were a multitude of emotions coursing through him: anger and grief at Pete's murder, yet a small bubble of contentedness and even happiness stirred inside him as Annie pushed closer to him.

He had thought her injury earlier was damaging, but that was nothing to the emotional scarring tonight had on her. Pete's death hit everyone hard, but Nick felt it might have hit Annie the hardest. She wasn't as accustomed to death, Jeremy tended to keep her away from that aspect of the pack. The last person she was close to that had died was her father, then within a week of each other both her roommate and her pack mate were brutally murdered. It was a lot for someone to take in, especially someone not familiar with the brutality that was death.

Several times that night Annie was jolted awake from nightmares. Each time Nick was there to calm her down and ease her back to sleep. It wasn't the best night sleep Annie had ever gotten, but Nick being there made it a Hell of a lot better than it would have been. Nick let Annie get the first shower the next morning, knowing it would make her feel a little better. Once they were both dressed in clean clothes they went downstairs together to find the pack already in the kitchen. Logan and Elena arrived together around noon and a short explanation of the previous night's events followed before they all stood around the urn that held Pete's remains.

"In the tradition of pack members before us and the pack members that will follow, we come together today to bid farewell to one of our own." Jeremy started the speeches, raising his glass of scotch. "Pete was one of a kind. He squeezed the most out of life every day and night. We were blessed to be your family." They all took a sip from their glasses when Jeremy finished. Elena picked up where Jeremy left off, talking about how much Pete had helped her through her rough transition. Clay took his turn after, vowing that Pete's death wouldn't be in vain.

"The first time I met Pete I was fifteen, scared, and alone. Jeremy introduced me to the pack, and Pete was the first one to come up to me. He gave me a hug and said 'welcome to the family kid'" Annie recalled, tearing up a bit. She couldn't help but feel that his death was on her.

"All Pete wanted to do was spread his love. He was killed by a monster that hates us and everything that we stand for." Anger was etched in Elena's voice. Before she or anyone else could continue there was howling in the distance.

"I'm betting it's the Mutt that killed Pete." Nick ground out, gritting his teeth in anger.

"The Son of a bitch is taunting us," Elena added, setting her glass down on the table and looking towards Jeremy.

"Antonio, you Nick and Logan come around from the East, we'll come around from the West." Jeremy started giving orders as he slipped off his jacket. Slipping out of her own hoody, Annie moved to join Clay and Elena on the way to the door before Jeremy stopped her. "Not you Annie. You're already injured. You're staying here."

"I'm not staying behind. This guy is targeting me, meaning Pete's death is my fault. I'm not sitting by why you guys chase after his murderer." Annie insisted crossing her arms in an unyielding gesture.

"Jeremy there's no time to argue. Just let her come." Elena shouted as she and Clay ran through the door. With a nod of consent from Jeremy, Annie was flying out the door after Clay and Elena. Even with her injury, Annie was still the fastest. She soon overtook Elena who had been in the lead, tearing through the woods and following the scent of the new Mutt.

Stopping short when she momentarily lost the scent allowed Clay, Elena and Jeremy to catch up to her. Jeremy chided her for going ahead of the group, while Elena attempted to find out which way the Mutt had gone. Jeremy's lecture was cut short when Elena called out to them. She had found Pete's jacket hanging from a tree branch.

"He's baiting us," Jeremy remarked as he took a step forward. Antonio and the others reached them shortly after they found the jacket. They had lost the scent as well.

"We can still find him," Elena insisted at the same time that Annie murmured 'we can't let him get away.' For once they were both on the same page with the other as the two of them prepared to go running after the Mutt's scent. Unfortunately, neither of them got very far, thanks to the Sorrentino men. Nick grabbed a hold of Annie's upper arm, halting her progress, as Antonio stepped in front of Elena. "By the time we change he'll be long gone." Antonio spoke, trying to make them both see reason.

"Antonio's right," Jeremy added. "Tonight we mourn for Pete. Tomorrow we hunt." With that said, he turned to lead the way back to the house.

Nick didn't remove his grip on Annie's arm until he was sure she wouldn't try to bolt. Moving his hand down her arm he meant to hold her hand, but stopped when he felt moisture. Looking down he found Annie had bled through her bandages.

"Jeremy's right, you should have stayed at the house." Nick dictated, as he brought Annie's wrist up for closer inspection.

"I wasn't staying behind. What happened to Pete was my fault and some stupid injury wasn't going to keep me from the hunt." Annie fumed, tired of being babied.

"How was it your fault?" Nick's voice was demanding as he pulled her to a stop in front of him. They had reached the back patio at that point.

"Let's see. Some psychotic bastard is emailing me cryptic messages with pictures attached of people in my life, and the people in those photos are normally dead in the last one." Talking with her hands was something Annie always did when she was upset—it was her Italian side kicking in. This time it only caused more blood to saturate the gauze pads.

"Annie, having a stalker isn't your fault. There was no way for you to know he would kill Caroline or Pete. This is not your fault." Nick insisted, grabbing her flailing arms and pulling her into a hug. Resting her head on Nick's shoulder Annie mumbled something that sounded like 'why are they doing this to me, to us?'

"That's what we're going to find out." To Annie's surprise it was Jeremy who responded to her mutterings. He had joined them on the patio after realizing the two of them had lagged behind the others. "And they will pay." Jeremy left them on the porch after that, heading towards the woods to go for a run.

No one was in the kitchen when they entered. Annie wanted to head straight upstairs, but Nick insisted on redoing her bandages before anything else. Most of the abrasions had started to heal pretty nicely, it was only the deeper punctures that were still bleeding. The light layer of skin that had started to heal over them got torn from the movement during the chase, causing the punctures to bleed again. Nick cleaned it out with isopropyl alcohol once more, before wrapping more gauze around it and finishing it off with another kiss.

Once Nick was satisfied that Annie's wound was taken care of he let her lead him upstairs. She wanted to spend the day remembering Pete's life and a huge part of Pete's life was music. He always used to send her CDs he'd burn either of his own songs or the song's he was into at the moment. Annie had about forty CDs from him and kept them in a case on her bookshelf. Starting with the oldest one she loaded it in her CD player and turned the volume up. Nick had disappeared for a moment, going down the hall to his own room and returning with a full bottle of Grappa he brought back from Italy. Sitting on the bed the two spent the afternoon listening to Pete's songs, sharing memories, and drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.

Nick woke up before Annie the next morning. Both of them were still wearing the clothes they had the day before. They had fallen asleep on top of the covers. One of Pete's CDs was playing on repeat and there were tearstains on the bedspread where Annie had cried the night before. The bottle of Grappa sat empty on the floor by the bed. Making sure not to wake Annie, Nick slipped out of the room to clean up. When he returned twenty minutes later Annie was just stirring.

"Ugh, my head's killing me. Why is it so bright out?" Annie grumbled as she blinked against the sun filtering through her windows.

"Those would both be effects of the epic hangover you are sure to have after last night." Nick responded, turning off the music and coming to sit beside Annie. Offering her a glass of water and some pain killers Nick couldn't help but smile fondly at the rumpled mess that was the girl in front of him. Once Annie took the medicine from him he moved his hand to smooth her hair down.

"How long do these things usually last?" Annie asked after downing the water and setting the glass on the floor by the empty bottle off alcohol.

"For us, usually only an hour or two." When Annie sent him an accusatory glare and asked why he didn't seem to be having any trouble Nick had to laugh. "I've told you before Principessa, I'm a big guy. I can handle my liquor."

Annie didn't find any of it as funny as Nick did. Knowing a shower would probably help her to at least not feel like a bum, Annie spent her first hour of the hangover taking a very long, hot shower. It ended up making Annie feel a lot better, the hot water had worked out knots in her tense muscles and soothed her headache. She was almost feeling like herself again.

She found Jeremy in the kitchen with a cup of tea and a single plate set out for Annie. Apparently she had missed breakfast. He asked how her arm was doing, honestly with the hangover Annie hadn't even really noticed the pain. It still hurt, but it was healing. Unfortunately for her, she seemed to heal at a slower rate than the guys, even slower than Elena. It had never bothered her before, when she hadn't received any major wounds. She kind of resented it now. Since Jeremy brought her attention to it she realized the damp bandage wouldn't do any good, it would only harbor bacteria and promote infection. Ripping it off, Annie patted the wound dry before applying yet another gauze bandage to it.

"I would think it would have healed by now," Jeremy commented when he saw the injury for the first time. Today marked the second day since she received the injury, on most werewolves a bandage wouldn't even be required anymore.

"One of the many mysteries of my being. I almost heal as slow as a human," Annie joked, slapping tape on the bandage to hold it.

"Almost, but not quite." Jeremy concurred softly. Nick found them shortly after that, noticing that Annie had a new bandage on.

"I'm in a nursing program. I can bandage my own wounds just fine," Annie assured him, letting him inspect her work. He had to agree, there was nothing wrong with the wound's dressing. Once Nick was finished with his inspection Jeremy asked the two of them to round up everyone for a meeting in the den.

They came across Logan first, who tagged along as they went looking for Elena and Clay. It didn't take long for them to find Elena as she came in the front door just as they reached the hall wearing nothing more than jeans. She was holding her shirt across her chest for decency's sake.

"Jeremy wants us in the den," Logan told her, halting her progress towards the stairs.

"Mind if I change first?" She asked, glancing down at herself. Logan and Nick simply shrugged in response as Annie stated 'of course not.' The three of them started moving on to find Clay after Elena disappeared up the stairs only to have him come through the front door as well. Stark Naked. Annie immediately diverted her eyes. Nakedness might not be an issue among wolves, but that didn't mean Annie wanted to see her pack brothers junk just walking around the house.

"Clay," Nick spoke first, sounding a little surprised that Clay had followed Elena in, especially with his lack of clothes. "Did…did you two have a nice run?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clay demanded, sending Nick a challenging look.

"You know, like a run. A little frolicking in the woods. Maybe some…some nuzzling." He responded in a playfully suggestive manner.

"We ran. Period." Clay grunted in response before moving past Nick to the stairs.

"Hey listen, I don't mind when the girls romp around the house naked, but please, put some clothes on. You're making Logan here feel inadequate." Nick called after him, Clay ignored him as he continued on his way upstairs.

"Don't displace your own insecurities onto me." Logan did have a response to Nick's statement, and it made Annie laugh, far more than it normally would have had she not been hung over from drinking half a bottle of Grappa the night before.

"I'm still recovering from the alcohol," Annie insisted through dying laughter as Logan and Nick turned to look at her.

The meeting didn't start until Clay and Elena came back downstairs. Antonio was out tying up Pete's loose ends and contacting the other pack families. First order of business was Annie's newest email. There would be no tracing it, seeing as the twisted Mutt had used Pete's address to let her know of his death. Whoever the Mutt was he had a sick sense of poetic irony. Even though there was no use in tracing it, Jeremy still wanted to see the pictures the Mutt sent in order to get a feel of where he had taken them. Annie agreed, claiming she'd get him her email address and password so he could check into it himself. Once that was settled he moved on to the source of all the problems.

"We have two Mutts to deal with. For starters, we need to identify the dead one from the rave and find out who made him. Maybe that will help us get a better grasp of how he seemed to know Annie." Jeremy paused, looking to Annie who sat on one of the couches beside Logan, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn't like thinking about how or why the Mutt knew her. "Nick, you and Logan go to the flop house where he lived." Jeremy ordered, turning his attention to Nick who was sitting in the chair beside the couch where Annie was. "Turn it upside down. Wipe it clean when you're finished." Nick nodded his head in understanding.

"I'm supposed to be speaking at a psychology conference tonight in Toronto." Logan spoke up, reminding Annie of Elena—making excuses as to why his life in Toronto needed him more than the pack. Although, Annie could admit that if Logan didn't show at the convention there might be worse repercussions than if he had gone.

"I can handle the flop house by myself," Nick responded, cutting Logan a break and letting him go to his convention.

"I could go with you." Annie's muttered response surprised both Nick and Jeremy as both would have assumed she'd rather not go to the house of the psychotic Mutt who somehow knew her name.

"Okay, Annie you'll go with Nick. I want you to be very careful" Jeremy looked to Nick at that last part before continuing around the room and adding "all of you. We thought the threat to the pack was over when the first Mutt died, that we only had to worry about Annie's safety, and Pete paid for our mistake. We know better now."

He moved on to giving Clay and Elena their orders. They were to go into town to assess the mood of the locals and try and catch the scent of the new killer. Jeremy was originally going to send Annie into town with them, she had a certain way of relating with the local's that normally helped to smooth things over. However, Elena wasn't terrible when it came to relating to humans. Especially since she used to be one, not to mention she currently lived among them. He finished their orders by making a point to Clay that, should they find the new Mutt, they were to take him alive.

…BNB…

"Alright, so you're going to stay behind me when we enter the flop house. Got it?" Nick asked as he parked on a side street near the dead Mutt's house.

"It's not like he's going to be there. He's dead." Annie pointed out as she unhooked her seatbelt and stepped out on the sidewalk.

"He's not working alone. I want to make sure no one else has come looking for him." Annie couldn't help but feel that Nick was being a tad overprotective. He would never have made Logan stay behind him had he come with Nick. It was because she was a girl, and not just a girl but the baby of the pack. Nick's newly expressed feelings for her probably had something to do with it as well. In fact, that should probably be moved to the top of the list of reasons as to why he was being anal about him going in first as well as the other precautionary measures being taken.

As Annie had predicted, the flop house was empty. It was also pretty disgusting inside. Graffiti covered the walls, there were unmentionable stains on the carpets and what furniture there was seemed worn and dirty. The smell was just as bad as the visual. Pulling gloves out of her pocket, Annie offered a pair to Nick before putting on her own. It would make wiping the place after easier if they didn't have to worry about getting all of their fingerprints.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Annie asked as she started in the bathroom.

"Anything that helps identify the Mutt. Papers, medications, clothes, cards." Nick responded as he began rifling through things in the other room.

Annie opened the medicine cabinet to see if, by some miracle, there were prescription bottles in there. Unfortunately identifying the Mutt wouldn't be that easy. The cabinet was barren except for a rusty pair of tweezers. Moving to the cabinet below the sink Annie said a silent prayer that there wouldn't be any rats before throwing the doors open. There weren't rats, but there were some cockroaches which made Annie immediately shut the doors. Checking the bathtub, just in case, and coming up empty handed had Annie retreating back to the main room.

Starting at the opposite side as Nick so as to cover more ground in less time, Annie searched under chairs and behind a table. It wasn't until she got to the wall beside the bed that she found anything. Thumbtacked to the wall was a Polaroid picture of Annie with her name scribbled underneath it. In the photo Annie wasn't looking at the camera, not realizing a photo was even being taken. In that essence it was similar to those in the emails. However, that photo wasn't in any of the emails, and unlike the others, Annie was the only subject. This wasn't meant for her to see, this was given so the Mutt could identify her.

"Nick," Annie called out as she pulled the picture from the wall. It was incredibly creepy that the Mutt had kept her picture tacked right next to the bed. "I found something."

Abandoning his own search momentarily Nick went to Annie. When he saw the picture he silently took it from her. Annie told him where it had been, making Nick shake his head and murmuring about what a creep the guy had been. Telling her to keep it he went back to his side. At the end of the search the only things they had come up with that were of any worth were the picture of Annie and prison issued shoes. After taking the time to wipe down the house and make sure no evidence of them had been left behind the two of them left for the pack house. Elena and Clay were already back and were with Jeremy in the basement.

They filled Annie and Nick in on what Elena and Clay had found. The two had tracked the new Mutt's scent to a motel room off the main road. It was empty, but Elena found a scrapbook of sorts stuffed under the mattress. It had news clippings and trinkets from every woman he had killed, and there were quite a few. All the murders had gone unsolved. The man's name was Thomas LeBlanc, he showed up at the motel while Clay and Elena were still there along with Zachary Cain and Karl Marsten.

"I knew that son of a bitch was up to something. It was just too coincidental that he was in the area when I called him." Nick shouted at the new development. "And to think he was trying to make a deal with us. 'I'll find out who bit your little problem.' Of course he could find out, the little bastard was the one to bite him."

"We've got it Nick, Marsten is a piece of shit. Let's move on to what you guys found." Clay Interrupted Nick's venting, placing a hand on his shoulder in order to shake him out of it if need be. It turned out that wasn't necessary.

"We found these at the dead Mutts flop house," Nick threw the shoes on the table for the others to see. "Prison issued." He added in disgust.

"How do you know?" Clay asked, grabbing a shoe to take a closer look.

"On the inside they're stamped Hixson Correctional Facility. Turns out to be one of Tennessee's finer establishments." Nick's voice dripped with sarcasm. The fact that an actual convicted felon had a picture of Annie in his room, by his bed, didn't exactly please him. Clay questioned why the Mutt would even keep the shoes after he escaped. Jeremy's answer was simple, the Mutt was a collector. The shoes were a trophy of his escape and his triumph of the penal system.

"I suppose I was meant to be the next item in his collection then," Annie muttered as she set the Polaroid on the table beside the shoes. "This was tacked up next to his bed." Clay was the one to grab it first, taking a closer look at it. There was nothing much to see or say about it. It was pretty straightforward: a picture of Annie that she hadn't known was taken.

"It's an identifying photograph. So the Mutt would know who she was, what she looked like," Clay confirmed Annie's thoughts on the matter. No one liked the idea of someone sending Mutts after Annie. What was worse, no one could think any reason for it. After Clay set the photo back down beside the shoes, Jeremy began going through photos of men who had recently escaped from Hixon. Elena quickly identified the Mutt from the rave as Scott Brandon. He was serving a life sentence for a brutal string of rapes and murders in 2009.

"So that's what he had planned for me then," Annie winced as Jeremy read out the Mutt's sentence.

"I highly doubt that was the intent. You're of much more value to them alive." Jeremy's assurances weren't as reassuring as he probably thought them to be.

"Marsten and Cain are purposefully turning these psychos into werewolves," Nick summarized what they had found out, trying to focus on the facts. The truth was when he had seen the photo of the Mutt from the rave that Elena had picked out of the lineup, he wanted nothing more than the opportunity to tear the mutt's throat out. The Mutt was lucky he was already dead.

"That doesn't track," Elena spoke up. "Cain's not smart enough to make his own pack, and Marsten's the ultimate loner."

"The way he was talking to Annie at the club I would say Marsten's not as committed to the loner lifestyle as you might think." Nick muttered coldly under his breath.

"Nick has a point. Maybe Marsten was a loner, but he's not working alone anymore. People change." Jeremy added, looking to Elena and Nick before risking a glance at Annie. He hated to think changing the psychos had anything to do with her, but thus far the evidence wasn't promising.

"Marsten was talking about using a warehouse which means they've probably got an operation going." Clay added, reminding everyone that this thing could be even bigger than Marsten and Cain.

"First they convert new mutts, second they put the spotlight on us so that it restricts our movement. Third they attack us directly; murdering Pete." Jeremy began summarizing the events that they knew had taken place. Trying to piece it together to find the big picture of it all.

"We're not dealing with run of the mill mutts," Clay retorted. "These are cold blooded killers who seem to have an unhealthy interest in Annie. If they were to take us out it would be chaos." Adding to Clay's synopsis, Nick mentioned how if there was no pack enforcing the rules those mutts could run wild. Jeremy concurred, claiming if that happened, it wouldn't be long before the werewolf society would be revealed to the humans and then man would do what man did best: war. Until one side or the other was completely wiped out.

"There's only one way to make sure that doesn't happen. We bury them." Clay fumed with a dangerous and slightly scary look in his eyes.

"It's time to take the fight to them," Jeremy agreed.

* * *

><p><em>AN The sixth chapter is here! As always, it was a lot of fun to write and I can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about it! Thanks again to all who favorite, follow, and review. It means more than you know and keeps me motivated :)_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Apparently before they actually took the fight to 'them' they needed to get more information. So back to the motel room it was. Annie got the distinct feeling Jeremy only took her with them because there would be no one there to babysit her at home. That was mostly due to the fact that Jeremy's plan involved her playing look out in the parking lot while everyone else got to bombard the room. Clay and Elena were to go in through the front while Nick and Jeremy would enter through the adjoining room. If the Mutts were there Jeremy wanted them taken alive. Once again he looked to Clay at that, as he was known to jump the gun on things like that.

"I'll try," Clay responded to Jeremy's pointed look. When Jeremy's eyebrow rose and his eyes narrowed in disapproval Clay added, "I'll try hard."

Annie admittedly pouted a little as the four of them crossed the lot towards the stairs. Leaning against the brick wall she turned her attention to the parking lot, forcing her eyes to keep making a loop for anything suspicious. If her only job was lookout she was at least going to do it thoroughly. At the sound of a gunshot Annie forgot all about her lookout duty and sprinted towards the stairs. No one from the pack had been carrying a gun and images of each one of them bleeding from a gunshot wound flashed through her head, making her run faster. She made it to the Mutt's room in seconds to find a giant hole in the door, but no blood. Everyone looked to be okay. None of that mattered though when Annie realized what they were all staring at.

"It's Pete's," Elena murmured as she picked up the object from the shot glass. It was Pete's missing finger, with the skeleton ring still on it. He never took that ring off. It had been a birthday present from Annie.

With her hand to her mouth Annie fought back the urge to vomit. As she paced, trying to make the sick feeling in her stomach go away, and avoided looking anywhere close to Pete's dismembered finger her eyes caught the message on the wall: 'I'm coming for my scrapbook bitch.' At least this time it didn't have anything to do with her. Elena was the 'bitch' this Mutt was referring to.

"Let him try," Elena growled. She wouldn't mind if he did come, then she wouldn't have to try and find him.

"We should go before someone comes," Jeremy stated, herding the group towards the door. The whole town had probably heard the gunshot, and with Annie no longer at the lookout post the sooner they left the better. Nobody wanted to get caught there and have to try and explain the room, the door, or the finger.

They reconvened in the basement once they arrived home. Yet another pack meeting. Annie couldn't remember the last time they had so many of them. The Mutt's scrapbook was on the table and the boys were flipping through it while Elena and Annie sat quietly by the cage. Annie had her back against the wall and her head between her knees, still trying to get the image of Pete's finger out of her head. When Nick pointed out another page of the book where a girl was skinned by the Mutt she didn't have to try too hard to remove the image of Pete's finger. Now a new, even more horrifying image was stuck there. Noticing the nauseated look on Annie's face Jeremy put an end to them going through the scrapbook.

"The rate they're able to drop dead bodies on us they can't be far. Marsten showed up pretty quickly after Nick called him at the bar. So I say we search between here and Syracuse." Elena spoke for the first time since they arrived at the pack house.

"I am not sending anybody blindly out chasing after Marsten and Cain. We need to be strategic about this. I sent word through Logan to Daniel Santos that I'm willing to talk." Annie looked up at Jeremy's last words. Daniel Santos wanted to speak to Jeremy? To come back to Stonehaven? The idea didn't sit well with Annie. He had always given her the creeps.

"Santos doesn't talk as much as lie," Nick laughed humorously at the idea of talking to Santos.

"He wants to trade information he has for reinstatement into the pack." Jeremy announced what seemed to be news to everyone. Annie couldn't help but think how similar that bargain was to the one Marsten had tried to swing. Only Marsten wanted land, not in the pack. It only raised her suspicions more. Santos shouldn't be trusted. Before she could voice any of those thoughts, Jeremy spoke, seeming to pluck them from her head. "And I know he cannot be trusted. But I am at least willing to hear what he has to say."

"The last member of the Santos family that walked through our doors tried to kill you." Clay reminded Jeremy.

"Our backs are up against a wall here. I need something to smoke Marsten and his crew out." At Jeremy's words Elena's anger skyrocketed as she demanded to be allowed to lure the Mutt out. After all, she was the bitch he wanted. Annie knew it wouldn't work. If Jeremy wouldn't let Annie be the bait earlier, he sure as Hell wasn't going to let Elena be the bait this time. If he did, she'd cry hypocrite.

"No, we will find him together." As Annie had expected Jeremy declined Elena's offer to be bait. Apparently Elena hadn't expected that response if her storming out of the room was any indication.

Feeling a sisterly duty Annie followed behind her, though she wasn't quite sure what she was going to say. Maybe venting with Annie about the inequalities of being the only female werewolves in the pack would be enough. In the end not much venting took place as it seemed just when Annie found Elena in the kitchen the sound of a siren came from out front. Sharing a look both Annie and Elena made a run for the front windows. The Sheriff and Deputy as well as a few other cops were outside talking to Clay and Jeremy.

"What's going on?" Annie's question was rhetorical, but Elena still responded. Elena had forgotten about her and Clay's run in with one of the hunters—one who had been on their property when they found the boy—the last time they were in town. He had mentioned that Braxton went to Stonehaven to have it out with Clay and hadn't been seen since. Now it seemed the Sheriff had found Braxton's truck by the Danver's property with blood on the seats. They were looking at Clay as a possible suspect.

"Damn it. This is my fault. I never went looking for Blue and I never went to town to do PR." Annie cursed, shaking her head at her own stupidity. She had been so focused on the emails and helping track the Mutt from the rave.

"You can't be responsible for the whole town Annie. It's not your fault the stupid dog ran away." Nick spoke from behind the girls, startling them both. They had been too focused on what was happening outside they hadn't noticed him approaching.

"He's right Annie, this is Marsten's doing. I know it. He must have heard Braxton running his mouth off in town, nabbed him and then dumped his truck." Elena insisted, pulling Annie away from the window. Annie didn't resist, following Elena to the couch and sitting nearest to Nick perched on the arm.

"And hung it on us." Nick added darkly.

"Not us, on Clay," Elena corrected as Clay and Jeremy entered the room together. That must mean the Sheriff was gone.

"There's a very real possibility that Braxton's body is out there. The Mutt's wouldn't leave him alive to tell the truth." Clay grumbled in reply to Elena's comment. Annie couldn't help but feel sorry for Clay. Clay was someone easy for them to pin it on, that she understood, but it almost seemed personal; pinning Braxton's death on him.

"Which is why we are allowing the police onto our property, and which is why we will help them look." Jeremy declared with authority. "If Braxton is here this is the best chance for us to mitigate the situation when the body is found."

"So why not stall them?" Nick challenged. "Let me rip out there and see what's what."

"Not with Deputy Dipshit keeping watch," Clay responded in a degrading tone that mathed the degrading name he gave the Deputy.

"I could try to distract him," Annie suggested, resulting in all eyes on her. "He thinks I'm pretty," she added somewhat lamely.

"Flirting with the law as a distraction is too risky. If we do anything to draw any more suspicion, the police are going to get a search warrant for this house. And the last thing we need is anybody poking around in here. So we will help them." At those last orders Jeremy left the room to await the search party the Sheriff was to bring back.

"You were really going to flirt with the Deputy?" Nick asked, sending a sideways glance down at Annie.

"Only to help the pack out." Annie shrugged, not seeing what the big deal was.

"I guess it's slightly better than offering yourself up for bait," Nick relented with a smile. His smile disappeared at the sound of multiple cars pulling into their drive. The search party had arrived quicker than anticipated. Knowing Jeremy would want them out front, the group made their way to join him.

"No way!" One of the hunters yelled, pointing at the pack in an accusatory way. "No way!" He repeated, this time looking to the Sheriff.

"The Danvers' family have offered to help with the search," was the Sheriff's response to the hostility from the hunter.

"There is no way that he is going on this search." The hunter continued to refute, pointing directly at Clay that time.

"This town's been through a lot. I'm just trying to help." Clay didn't really help his case by sounding so insincere. He needed to take a few lessons on socializing.

"You want to help. Why don't you help by not making me look at your face?" The hunter retorted, obviously sensing Clay's insincerity. The Sherriff interrupted, sternly telling everyone to stand down. They had a long day ahead of them. Jeremy stepped in, once again playing referee to Clay and the townspeople, claiming he and Clay had some family business they could attend to inside. The Sheriff sent Jeremy a thankful look, knowing too well that he was only trying to help ease the tension.

As soon as Jeremy and Clay were gone, the Sheriff began giving instructions to the crowd, telling them to fan out and march the land in a grid formation. She wanted everyone to keep the person to either side of them in sight. As everyone started walking towards the woods the hunters caught up to Annie, Nick and Elena, claiming they wanted to keep their eyes on them, to make sure they don't tamper with any evidence they might find. Elena retorted she was thinking the same thing about the hunters. Annie only shook her head. No wonder the townspeople mistrusted them. Not only were the whole family loners, but most interactions between the town and the pack were hostile. Granted the hostility was on both ends, but still, it wouldn't hurt to play nice with the town sometimes.

Knowing she should stick close, if only to take Jeremy's role as referee, Annie was about to follow Nick when the Deputy came up beside her. He was asking her if she wanted to join him in the search, spread out the group a little more. A little taken by surprise it took her a moment until she agreed. The last thing the pack needed was for her to seem hostile as well and decline the offer. Before she went off Nick called out to her.

"Here, take this," shrugging out of his jean jacket and draping it over her shoulders. His fingers hesitated for a moment on her shoulders before he moved back. "It's chilly out." Smiling Annie thanked him, knowing just what he was doing. By offering her his jacket, and subtly lingering his touch, Nick was telling the Deputy she was off bounds. Just not in so many words.

"So is that guy family?" The Deputy asked once they had separated from Nick and Elena. "The one who gave you the jacket." Annie knew both Nick and Elena could still hear the conversation because Annie could still hear Nick if she concentrated. She had to be even more diplomatic in her answers with Nick listening in.

"No, he's a good friend of the family's." Annie corrected. The Deputy already knew this, having been there when Nick and Antonio introduced themselves to the Sheriff. He was just prying because this time Nick showed him a glimpse of how close the two were.

"What is he to you?" The Deputy pressed, looking to Annie even though they were supposed to be surveying the area for Braxton. Annie sensed he wasn't the only one looking at her. Nick's head was tilted ever so slightly in her direction. He was definitely listening.

"Our relationship's current status is undetermined." It was the truth. Nick and Annie had never put a definition to what they were doing together; though Annie was fairly certain it was more than just a fling. Anyways, it was the most diplomatic answer she could give, as she didn't want to completely isolate the Deputy when she was currently the only pack member that was still somewhat in his good graces. They could use the law on their side. Annie could see Nick stiffen slightly at her response. Luckily for her Elena's phone rang, distracting Nick.

It was Diane, begging Elena to be a step in for one of her sister's bridesmaids. It turned out one of them was sick and stuck out of the country. When Diane couldn't convince Elena, Phil took over the pleading. Hearing a man's voice over the phone definitely captured Nick's attention. Poor Elena, it seemed yet another pack member would soon be in on her secret.

"What?" Elena asked defensively once she had hung up and caught Nick looking at her.

"Couldn't help but listen," he answered. Elena instantly asked what he had heard. Annie assumed he had heard just about the whole conversation as she had and she was even further away.

"A man's voice. Telling you he loves you. Does Clay know?" Nick asked, even though he thought he knew the answer to that one. "Just Logan, Annie, Jeremy, and now you." At the mention of Annie's name Nick glanced over at her for a moment. Annie knew she would be hearing it from him about why she hadn't told him. Though it wasn't like he would tell her if Clay was seeing someone else and Clay didn't want anyone to know. That was a horrible example. Clay would never see anyone but Elena. Unlike Elena, who claimed she left Stonehaven and moved on.

Conversation stalled at that point, not just between Nick and Elena, but everyone. No one was talking. It was another quarter mile before anyone said a word. Annie heard Elena mention she caught the scent of Braxton and that he was dead, but she couldn't hear Nick's response. That was mainly due to the Deputy drawing her back into conversation, asking how long she would be home for. Her response was noncommittal. Before he could ask anything else Nick's voice carried to them, much louder than when he and Elena were communicating.

"You know, all of this just because your friend wanted to blame us for what's going down around here." His statement didn't track, Nick wasn't the one to fly off the handle at people. That was Clay's MO.

"My friend's missing you son of a bitch," the hunter fumed before throwing a punch which Nick dodged. After that all Hell broke loose as Nick tackled the hunter to the ground. They scuffled a bit, shoving and throwing punches—Nick was obviously not trying too hard. When Nick took a punch to the gut then several punches to the face Annie was certain he hadn't been trying. Nick wouldn't lose a fight to a human if he was trying. As soon as the Sheriff discovered the fight she rushed forward and broke it up, Annie and the Deputy right behind her. While the Sheriff announced the search was over and sent everyone back to their cars, Annie closed the distance between Nick and her to examine his injuries. He was bleeding from his lip and nose, but nothing looked to be broken.

"Nice one hero," the Deputy sneered. Nick was not in the mood to hear anything from the guy who had been blatantly trying to get with Annie. Even though it was clear she and Nick had something going on. Therefore he got immense satisfaction when the Sheriff yelled at the Deputy to 'go on' and Annie stayed to play nurse to his wounds.

"You did that on purpose?" Annie asked once the others were far enough ahead. Nick simply nodded. He didn't have to say why. Between what Elena had said and the smell of death in the air Annie knew it was a distraction to keep the police and everybody else from finding Braxton's body on Stonehaven land. "I figured." Pulling a tissue from her pocket Annie began dabbing at the blood until most of it was gone. "That's the best I can do before we get back to the house," she murmured. Before she could pull her hand away Nick caught it in his.

"Do you really not know where our relationship stands?" He asked, a serious look in his eyes.

"You heard that," Annie sighed. She knew he had, she just hoped it wouldn't come up, at least not until later. "Not to sound cold, but this probably isn't the best time to discuss our relationship. What with cops here searching for a dead body that Elena is currently getting rid of." Annie whispered the last part to ensure it wasn't overheard by any of the search party. "We should get back to the house. We don't want to give anyone a reason to accuse us of tampering with any evidence." Annie added before Nick could say anything else.

Nick was a bit tense when he nodded, leading the way back towards the house. He was angry with her. Annie quickly caught up to him, slipping her hand into his as a sort of apology. It was also a promise that they would talk about them later and that there was still a 'them' to talk about. Noticing the abrasion on his hand from where he punched the hunter, Annie brought their hands up to her lips so she could brush them across Nick's red knuckles. She knew it would heal in a matter of hours, but it was another way for her to assure him that she wasn't refuting their relationship. She just didn't know what to call it yet.

The Deputy turned to glare at Nick when Annie and him returned to the house. His glare only deepened when he noticed Nick's hand entwined with Annie's. Nick simply stared back challengingly while tightening his grip on Annie's hand. Clay took in Nick's injuries, having heard about the fight from the Sheriff. He wanted an explanation. Moving past the Deputy Nick motioned for Clay to follow them in the house. He couldn't explain his actions outside, where everyone could hear.

"She's moving the body," Nick stated once the three of them were inside. Even after being the one to mention there was a good chance Braxton's body was out there, Clay seemed a little surprised. He had clung onto a hope that perhaps the body wasn't on Stonehaven property. As Nick explained how he got his bloody lip, Annie went to retrieve the first aid kit from the kitchen. With superhuman healing powers it was even more important to disinfect the wounds before they closed over and locked an infection inside. While rummaging through the drawer Annie heard Jeremy join the others in the den. He wasn't alone. Daniel Santos was with him. Apparently today had been the date of the meeting. It made Annie hesitant to return to the den.

"Full house," Santos commented, taking in the inhabitants of the room. "Though I was hoping to see Elena as well. I would love to show her how my ear has healed since she took a bite." Turning his head Santos ran his fingers across the tip of his right ear where there was a jagged scar from teeth tearing through it.

"You lunged at her" Clay reminded him gruffly.

"The two of you showed up unannounced in my hotel room. The lights were out. I thought she was the hooker I ordered." Santos' voice was flat and snippy. It was a lie, and not even a good one at that. Worst was it seemed he didn't care if the pack thought it was a lie.

"As if you couldn't smell she was wolf." Nick snapped back, arms folded across his chest and a hostile look in his eye.

"An honest mistake. I see the error of my ways." Daniel responded. Before any more hostile remarks could be shared, Santos' attention was drawn across the room as Annie reluctantly made her way back with the first aid kit. A cruel smile formed as he took her in. "Little Annie, the Princess. It's nice to see you again. I must say, you're not so little anymore. You're all grown up." The look in Santos' eyes made Annie's stomach turn. It was a mix of predatory and yearning. Just like old times only creepier.

"I didn't think I'd see you on Stonehaven property again. In fact, I had almost counted on it." Annie replied coldly. She was staring down Santos in an attempt to show he wasn't effecting her, even though he was.

"Now Annie, let's not be rude." Daniel Santos chided her, like he had a right to talk down to her. As though she was nothing more than a kid that was speaking out of turn, interrupting the grown-ups.

"Right because you're the epitome of polite." Annie couldn't help but snap back, casing Nick to chuckle. Santos hadn't been expecting that, he seemed taken aback for a moment.

Jeremy interrupted the awkwardness, motioning for Santos to have a seat, while Nick mimicked the motion in a blatantly exaggerated and sardonic attempt at being civil. When Nick took a seat on the couch across from Santos, he pulled Annie down beside him, keeping his arm around her shoulders as he glared at Santos. Setting the first aid supplies to the side, Annie decided it would not be the best time to try and disinfect Nick's scrapes. It wasn't best to point out weak spots or injuries when in the company of pack enemies.

"Logan tells me you're interested in realigning with the pack." Jeremy started the conversation after the hostile greetings.

"When my family cleaved from the pack I was just a kid. I followed them, foolishly believing that Malcolm deserved the right to alpha instead of you. Placed myself on the wrong side of history. I want to make things right." Santos, who had leaned forward while talking, reclined back after that, propping his right foot on his left knee and seeming comfortable with his surroundings. If Annie was in his place she wouldn't be so relaxed. At least three of the room's occupants would like nothing better than to kick Santos' ass all the way back to wherever it had crawled out of.

"How so?" Jeremy asked for Santos to clarify, still listening to what he had to say. He was more patient than Annie at that moment.

"I'm here to talk about Karl Marsten. But I think Elena should be here for this as well. And I'd rather not start without her." There was a grumble around the room at that, as Clay's eyes blazed fire. Santos didn't seem bothered by the contempt of the room. In fact, he seemed spurred on by it. "I take it by the possessive arm around Annie, as well as her wearing your jacket, you've laid some sort of claim on her." Santos directed his statement to Nick with raised eyebrows and a slight smirk.

"What do you care Santos?" Nick barked back, tilting his head in challenge.

"Oh, I really don't. It just makes things more…interesting. That's all." Santos' chosen words got under both Nick and Clay's skin, as Clay demanded to know what that meant. Annie had a feeling Santos had no intention of explaining that statement. However, she never got the chance to be proven right or wrong as Elena entered the room. Daniel immediately stood to greet her. "Elena, how lovely to see you." He murmured in a more civilized tone than he had used thus far. It didn't cause any better reaction from Elena.

"Get to the point," She insisted, stopping beside Clay who had been leaning against Jeremy's desk.

"I was promised a fair trade. Information for pack status. I want your protection. It isn't safe out there for a lone wolf anymore." Santos stated after a moment, taking a seat when he finished.

"You're willing to risk retaliation to align with us?" Jeremy asked sounding doubtful.

"Marsten and Cain are building an army. They've turned two psychopathic killers, to counter the one that you have," Gesturing to Clay with his left hand, Santos sent an unsympathetic smile at Clay. "Just being honest," he added when Clay took a threatening step towards him. Annie was happy to see the smile had fallen from Santos' face.

"It isn't your strong suit." Clay grunted, crossing his arms.

"Neither is bringing information, apparently." Nick cut in, looking pointedly at Santos.

"Well, that's what I'm trying to tell you. That everything they're doing, is because of you, Clay." Santos looked directly at Clay, placing the full blame on his shoulders. Suspicious of how Santos had gotten that information, Jeremy asked if he'd been in contact with Marsten. He denied it, claiming to hear his information through the grapevine. It didn't feel right to Annie.

"What I hear is for the two years where Elena was your sidekick and the two of you policed the Mutts, she at least brought some humanity." Santos continued spinning his tale as he continued to look Clay directly in the eyes. "But you, on your own, brutal. Vindictive even. An individual Mutt stands no chance against you. They had no choice but to band together. And they're creating a psycho army to help in the process."

Clay insisted he didn't do anything to Marsten. Nothing to warrant his retaliation. Jeremy silenced him with a wave of his hand, turning his own questions to Santos. Like why they had killed Pete if it was Clay they were against. Of course Santos had another reason ready for that. It was to send Clay on a blind rage.

He then went into a chess analogy with Jeremy being the king, methodically moving one square at a time, Elena being the queen that could move anyway she chose, and Clay being the rook moving in rut of the same zig zag pattern. He started attacking Clay, saying he was impulsive and he made mistakes, looking to Elena to back him up by alluding to when Clay had bit her. He was on a roll, not anticipating and disruption, but that's exactly what he got.

"What about the emails?" Annie spoke up, interrupting Daniel's build up. "If this was all about Clay, why would Marsten and the Mutt's be targeting me as well?" It was a simple guess that Santos knew about the emails. It was also a little trap Annie set. If Santos played it like he knew about the emails as well, it would convince Annie that he was in with Marsten and Cain. You can only hear so much through the Mutt grapevine.

"You might be a pawn Annie." Santos bit out through gritted teeth, annoyed with being interjected. It took Annie a moment to realize he was back to his chess analogy. "But remember, pawns are the only pieces that can be promoted. If they cross to the opponent's side that is." He was baiting her, and making absolutely no sense in the process.

"That's enough," Jeremy stated, just as Nick muttered how Santos was still a slime ball. It seemed the two of them made a little more sense out of Santos' analogy than Annie had.

"Please, understand. What I said comes from good intentions. Those being, reinstatement to the pack." Santos pleaded in a slightly less hostile, more sincere tone.

"We will give that due consideration," Jeremy's answer was not the one Santos had hoped for, his frustration and disappointment showed on his face. "Nicholas, show him out."

Annie followed behind Nick until they reached the door. That's when Nick motioned for her to stay inside. Reluctantly she did as he asked, closing the door after him. From the den she could hear Clay and Elena talking and not fancying going back in and interrupting Annie made her way down the hall to the kitchen. Jeremy was just placing the teakettle on the stove when she slid into a seat at the table. The first aid kit she had left on the couch now sat on the table. Jeremy must have brought it with him.

"What did Santos mean? With the chess thing, calling me a pawn and that thing about promotion." Annie asked once Jeremy had taken the seat across from her.

"In chess, the pawn is often seen as a weaker piece. It can only attack and move in one direction. However, if the pawn reaches the other side of the chess board, the opponent's side, it can be promoted to any other piece." Jeremy explained the rules of the game, or at least the rules pertaining to pawns. Annie had never been a big chess fan. She was more of a checkers girl, less rules to learn.

"So how does Santos' comment relate? I'm more useful on the opponent's side?" Annie demanded, confused as to how the analogy fit for her and wanting to know what Jeremy and Nick had picked up on that she hadn't.

"I think the real comment he was making was to your uniqueness. The pawn is unique in that it can be promoted. It's a special ability that only the pawn has. You are unique in being the only female werewolf to be born. Perhaps he's even hinting that you may have a special ability. There are a million different ways to take the comment." Annie highly doubted she had any special ability. If anything she had less abilities than the other members of the pack. She wasn't as good of a tracker, she wasn't as big, and she didn't heal even half as fast. The only thing she was remotely better at was running. Running fast wasn't exactly a special ability.

"I don't trust him," Annie murmured, "no matter what analogies or information he brings. In fact, the more he brings, the less I trust him."

"I know," Jeremy nodded. "I don't trust him either."

The kettle on the stove interrupted the silence that had settled between them. It started whistling, startling Annie and making her jump in her seat. Jeremy only smiled at her skittishness as he went to remove the kettle from the stove. As he was moving it to the table, Elena arrived in the doorway. She had her duffle with her.

"The body's off the property in a grove, but someone will stumble over it in the next few days. It should buy you enough time to find Marsten." Elena informed him as she stepped into the room.

"What you did may have saved Clay. Probably saved all of us." Jeremy murmured, as he set the kettle on the table before stepping closer to Elena.

"Maybe, for now." Elena answered, taking a breath before continuing. "I have to go to a wedding, for the sister of the man that I love and trust. I used to think that I could trust Clay, but I was wrong." Jeremy looked at odds at those words. Annie knew why. She had been sworn to secrecy by Clay. Elena had needed to trust Jeremy in order to survive.

"Elena I think it's time that I—" Jeremy started to try and tell Elena, but she interrupted him.

"And then you taught me to trust again." It didn't look like Jeremy was going to try anymore. Not that day. Not after Elena had said that. "You're the closest thing I've ever had to a father. I came because you called. I can't say no when you call. So I'm asking you not to." Elena was whispering by the time she ended, looking close to tears. Jeremy simply nodded in acceptance as he watched Elena walk away.

"She'll come back," Annie whispered as she came to stand beside Jeremy, finding herself close to tears. "She can't just leave us forever. Right?" Her voice cracked at the end.

"I don't know Annie." Jeremy replied softly. "I don't know."

* * *

><p><em>AN I hope everyone enjoyed this update :) More to follow soon. Thanks again to all who reviewed/followed/favorite. _

_jk: In response to your guest review, thank you so much! To hear that you like my original character means a lot. I am also happy to hear that you are enjoying the fact I am following the story line. I mentioned before that I will take creative liberties with this story so who knows what will happen to Antonio here. Hope you keep reading and enjoying this story!_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"She's kind of being selfish if you think about it. I mean, I had school going on but I took the semester off to be home and help." Annie had gotten past the sad phase of Elena leaving and was now more annoyed and slightly angry. Unfortunately for Nick that meant he got to listen to her rant as she cleaned his scrapes from the fight.

"And because of the psychotic Mutt killers who are stalking you." Nick reminded Annie as she rubbed the cotton ball soaked in isopropyl alcohol across his knuckles for the twentieth time. It was like she couldn't hear him as she continued on.

"And what does _she_ do? Abandon ship because her human life is apparently more important than helping the pack catch Mutts turning cold blooded killers into werewolves. I suppose she doesn't need me anymore either, now that she has human girl friends who have more things in common with her than just being the only other female werewolf in existence like me." After twenty minutes of ranting, Annie was finally getting to the root of her anger. She was taking Elena leaving as being far more personal than it really was. In fact, she was almost taking it as personal as Clay. Although, admittedly Elena leaving was probably partly because of Clay and the memories he kept digging up.

"Annie," Nick murmured, reaching out to still the hand with the cotton ball. "Elena loves you. She may have friends in Toronto, but she doesn't have a sister. You will always have a connection with Elena that no one could ever take away."

"You think?" Annie asked hopefully, her voice cracking at the end of the question as the anger washed away as quickly as it had come, reverting back to tears. Good Lord, girls were emotional time bombs.

"Yes. I also think there's no chance of an infection in my right hand now that it's saturated in alcohol." Annie laughed at that, a welcomed sound, as she grabbed a dry cotton ball and began dabbing up the excess liquid.

"I'm sorry for going crazy on you. Thanks for listening." Rising from her spot next to Nick, Annie went to return the first aid kit to its drawer. With Nick's injuries tended to, it wasn't needed anymore.

"That's what a boyfriend is for, right?" Nick's words were casual, but they had Annie spinning on her heel to look back at him.

"Did you just say boyfriend?" She questioned, sincerely not sure she had just heard that word come out of Nick's mouth.

"Yeah, it didn't sound as cheesy in my head." He joked, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just giving you a definition for our relationship. So, we're dating. Exclusively." Nick reported with a decisive nod of his head. Annie's smile was slow as she took in his words and their meaning. Abandoning the first aid kit on the counter she stepped closer to him.

"Don't we have to go on an actual date before we can call it dating?" She teased, looking him in the eye as she reached up to smooth the collar of his shirt.

"Really?" Nick raised his eyebrows as he looked down at her. This time Annie initiated the kiss, moving her hands from his shirt to his hair, she pulled him down to her and interrupted whatever else he had been going saying. Nick didn't seem to mind being interrupted as he wrapped his arms around Annie's waist and pulled her closer. That's how Jeremy found them when he came into the kitchen.

"Ahem," Jeremy cleared his throat. It effectively separated the two, causing Annie to blush at being caught in that position. "Nick, I need you to head down to DC to visit Joey and Dennis Stillwell. Make it clear that all of our allies need to stay in line." Jeremy got right to the point, choosing to ignore the fact that he just walked in on the girl he thought of as a daughter making out with a fellow pack member whose room now seemed a little too close to hers for Jeremy's comfort. Jeremy had known something was going on between them, but knowing and seeing were two different things.

"I thought dad was in DC," Nick responded, not seeming bothered at all at Jeremy catching him and Annie. They were both consenting adults and they weren't actually related. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing.

"Antonio has been visiting the other North American pack families to discretely see if we're the only ones being targeted. He sent the email address to some friends in DC to analyze. They didn't come up with anything more than we did." Jeremy explained calmly. "So, you will go to DC to call on the Stillwell's." Turning to go Jeremy reached the doorway before adding, "you may take Annie with you." He wasn't sure he wouldn't regret it, but he did know if it seemed as if he was protecting Annie from one more thing she was going to blow up on him. He didn't want her to pull an Elena and kick him out of her life too.

The two of them were silent for a moment after Jeremy left before Nick turned to Annie with a smile, asking if she was up for a road trip. They didn't leave until early the next morning. Annie had an overnight bag packed for each of them, just in case they ran into delays, and was closing the trunk after loading them in when Nick joined her outside.

"I was thinking we could stop in at the diner for breakfast." Nick suggested, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Don't the Deputy and Sheriff always get their morning coffee there?" Annie asked with her eyes squinted in suspicion.

"Oh, do they? I didn't know that." Nick's nonchalance wasn't as convincing that time as a flicker of amusement in his eyes gave him away. It made Annie ask if that was the only reason he wanted to eat there. He made a show of being affronted at her assumption. "I was just thinking we could have a go at this whole date thing." Annie was momentarily surprised, until Nick added in exaggerated indifference, "and if the Deputy happens to be there to witness said date, well that would just be a bonus." Annie shook her head, but couldn't hide her smile when she playfully punched Nick in the shoulder. He wanted to take her out on a date.

It wasn't the fanciest date, but it was nice. Nick even pulled her chair out for her. That's where the normality of the date ended as their conversations were theories and summarizations about the recent events. Of course they had to keep their voices down so as not to be overheard. The locals were known to eavesdrop and they were sure to listen in on their conversation given the attention that had been surrounding Stonehaven. The Deputy and Sheriff didn't happen to come in until the end of the date, when Nick was paying the check. They took a seat at the counter, but Annie had seen the glance the Deputy shot her and Nick. When the hunter Nick had picked a fight with came in with a couple other hunters Annie knew they needed to leave soon unless they wanted their date to end badly.

"We should go," Annie murmured as she rose from her seat. They had been waiting for the change, but Annie wanted him to just leave it.

"That was a hundred. The waitress wasn't worth that much." Nick resisted until he saw what had caught Annie's attention and made her want to leave. "On second thought, she could probably use a big tip anyways." With his hand on Annie's back Nick led them to the door, trying hard not to make eye contact with anyone.

For a moment Annie feared the hunter would start another confrontation, but thankfully one of his friends pulled him back down to his seat as they passed. She could hear the friend mutter that it wasn't worth it with the Sheriff there. Annie relaxed after that, enough to smile when Nick held the door for her. As she was clicking her seatbelt into place, Nick leaned in and gave her a sweet, short kiss.

"Not that I need a reason, but I was under the impression dates ended with a kiss," Nick defended when Annie asked what the kiss was for.

Rolling down her window and turning the radio on as they were leaving town, Annie let her hair blow wildly in the wind. Her heart was happy despite all the deaths that had been raining down on them as she intertwined her fingers with Nick's. For the next six hours it would just be them, no Mutts, no deaths, just the freedom to be together. Their conversations remained light until Nick breeched the topic of Philip.

"Does she love him?" He asked as they were passing into Virginia. It seemed such an odd conversation to be having with Nick. Annie was used to keeping Elena's secrets from everyone as if they were her own. Now that Nick knew, Annie wasn't sure what parts of Elena's life were off limits and which were free for her to share with Nick.

"I think she's convinced herself she loves him." Annie answered carefully. "He's good to her, but I can't help but feel he's just her anchor to the human world. An excuse to stay away." Annie had never voiced the truth of her opinions before, for obvious reasons. Those being Elena would probably shun her if Annie ever told her how she really felt about Philip. She had to admit, It felt good to be honest.

"So it might not be too late for Clay?" Annie thought over her answer for that, digging for the truth that she kept buried behind words of enthusiasm which she felt required to share with Elena.

"No. The only reason she needs an excuse to stay away is because of Clay. She still loves him. She just needs to get over the fact he bit her." Annie didn't know how long that would take, but she hoped for the pack's sake it was sooner rather than later.

They stopped for gas in Virginia. Annie bought food in the small store as Nick filled the car up. His car was a newer Italian model and looked out of place at the country quick stop. Most cars that stopped there were old trucks and Jeeps. Stopping to stand beside him as he waited for the pump to stop, Annie handed Nick one of the six soda's she had bought.

"There wasn't much variety, but I grabbed enough food to make it to DC." Annie raised the plastic bag full of junk food to illustrate.

"I promise after we talk to the Stillwell's I'll take you somewhere we can get real food." Nick smiled as he took the bag from her to see what she had grabbed.

"Nothing too fancy, I didn't pack for any five star restaurant," Annie commented as she slipped into the passenger seat. She knew if she didn't say anything that's exactly what Nick would do: take them to an upscale restaurant in downtown DC. Hell, he still might. There were clothing stores in DC and Nick wasn't shy when it came to spending money. He wasn't really shy when it came to much of anything.

It wasn't that far from the gas station to the Stillwell's house. At least not the way Nick drove. The Stillwell's lived in a small suburb just outside the city. It was a nice area, but Annie still wouldn't want to live so close to the city. Especially not the capital. Beltway traffic was a bitch as Nick and Annie found out. It hadn't even been rush hour when they hit the Beltway. As they parked in the driveway Nick reminded Annie to let him do the talking. He was used to dealing with Allies that had broken from the pack.

As it turned out, Annie saying something to offend the Stillwell's was the last thing Nick had to worry about. When he opened the front door after knocking and receiving no answer, the smell of death greeted him. It made him hesitate for a moment before entering. Annie was right behind him, her senses hyperaware in case there was a threat. It was doubtful as it smelled as if whoever was dead had been so for a couple days at least. Still, if the pack learned just one thing from Pete's death, it was to never be too careful.

They found the body in the living room. It was Denis Stillwell. His blood was spattered across the couch and the walls as his body lay behind the couch. Inching closer Annie's stomach turned when she saw his eyes had been gouged out. The Mutts had killed him, but not before torturing him for information. Nick seemed to take Denis' death worse than Annie. He had known Joey and Denis since he was a kid. Nick and his father had been close to the Stillwell family.

"We need to call Jeremy," Annie whispered, grabbing Nick's hand in support. "He needs to know."

Nick nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket as he made his way back to the other side of the room. As he dialed the number Annie went to explore the other rooms to see if she could find any sign of Joey. Nick didn't waste any time, as soon as Jeremy answered he broke the news. They asked about Joey, to which Nick looked to Annie as she reentered the room. She shook her head, Joey wasn't in the house. Jeremy asked how Annie was to which Annie responded directly, leaning close to the phone. She was fine. As fine as anyone could be after finding a dead body who had obviously been tortured.

Jeremy needed them to clean it up. It would take a while, but between Nick and Annie they could wipe it down clean. Clay wanted to come help, he didn't want Annie forced into doing a job both Jeremy and him had spent a long time protecting her from. Nick declined. Even if he did it alone he would be done by the time Clay got there. After hanging up Nick and Annie had a…disagreement over who would go get the cleaning supplies. Nick didn't want to leave Annie alone with the body and vice versa.

"Look, to me it's a dead body, but to you it's the dead body of your friend's father. I'm not leaving you alone here. I can handle this. Anyways, you know what supplies we would need better than I would." Annie's argument was persuasive. Persuasive enough that Nick finally agreed to go pick up what they needed. He insisted Annie call him if anything went wrong. What could go wrong, Annie didn't know. It wasn't as if Denis Stillwell would suddenly raise from the dead. And the Mutt's were long gone by now. This was set up as a diversion and a message to the pack. It wasn't a trap.

While Nick was gone Annie started righting the furniture that was knocked down. The coffee table's leg was broken, so she went in search of tools. There was a toolbox in the garage where Annie grabbed a hammer and nails. By the time Nick returned Annie had reattached the table's leg, much to Nick's surprise. It took them several hours to finish the wipe down. Bleach, water and soap were mixed in a bucket and wash clothes dipped in the concoction were used to wipe down the walls. It worked surprisingly well.

The curtains had to be trashed, but Nick had purchased replacements and Annie hung them as Nick finished scrubbing the couch clean. Using a tarp that Nick had brought back the two of them moved Denis' body on it before transferring it to the backseat of the car where more tarps were set down to avoid getting blood on the seats. They had moved the car around back to avoid anyone seeing them. The last thing they cleaned was the hardwood floors. It took a lot of elbow grease, but finally they got the room sanitized and free of any sign of death. Wiping everything they touched before Nick had brought rubber gloves in order to get the prints off removed any indication that they were ever there.

They buried the body in a forest clearing in Virginia. Nick said a few words before just standing in silence over the freshly dug grave. Annie let him have some time to himself, going to wait in the car. Nick didn't say anything when he returned, climbing into the driver's seat. They continued rode in silence until they went through a fast food drive thru. Nick apologized that they hadn't been able to eat out in DC. Annie simply shook her head, murmuring that this was perfectly fine before taking his hand and squeezing it.

Annie fell asleep as they were driving through Northern Pennsylvania. She was still holding Nick's hand. Turning the radio down so as not to wake her Nick could only marvel at her. Today, Annie had done unspeakable things, things no 21 year old girl should ever have to do, and she had done them with a calmness and poise that Nick hadn't expected. In a way it made him sad that Annie was being forced to get used to death and violence, but then he reminded himself that was the life of a wolf. A life Annie was born into. Neither he nor the pack could have expected to protect her forever.

When Nick pulled up to Stonehaven the sun was just starting to rise. Annie was still asleep, she didn't even wake up when he killed the engine and got out. Not wanting to wake her just yet, Nick carefully lifted her from the passenger side and carried her to the house. Trying hard to be quiet both for Annie's sake as well as the packs Nick made sure not to let the door slam. When he turned away from the door it was to find Antonio waiting for him on the stairs.

"You're still up," Nick whispered, adjusting Annie's weight in his arms.

"I was waiting," Antonio murmured, standing from his seat on the stairs. Motioning to Nick to follow him, Antonio led the way into the den.

"I should have been with you," Antonio insisted while Nick gently laid Annie down on the couch. Nick brushed the hair out of her eyes before returning to where his father stood by Jeremy's desk.

"We couldn't have known. And I had Annie." Looking back at Annie's sleeping form a small smile formed on Nick's face. "She did good dad. She was strong, and brave. She made it a little easier."

Antonio studied Nick for a moment before pulling him into a hug. He was relieved that Annie had been with Nick, and that he didn't have to go through burying Denis alone. As a father he wanted to protect Nick from the violent truths of life as a wolf, and that need to protect had never waned even as Nick got older and was required to stick his hands into the messier aspects of pack life. When he looked at Nick, Antonio sometimes saw the little boy he raised instead of the man Nick had grown to be. That was one of those moments.

As Nick pulled away from the hug, he tried to form into words all the worries and thoughts that had been on his mind during the drive home. He brought up the story of Antonio and him going hunting with Joey and Denis up at his grandfather's property. How they had taught Joey and Nick how to flood out a deer. He kept thinking how Joey's father was dead now, and that turned to thoughts of what if it had been Antonio. Antonio insisted that won't be him, but Nick shook his head. He knew Antonio couldn't promise something like that, not now.

"No, that's right, that's right. But you're my son, and I want to protect you from the truth. And the truth is, no one is safe. All we have is right now. And right now, what you and Annie did today, when you put Denis' body to rest, I am so very proud of you Nicholas. Of both of you." After a silent moment between them Antonio moved to go and wake the others. They had a lot to do.

Nick went back to Annie, knowing he had to wake her up as wel,l even though he would prefer if he could just let her sleep. It had been a rough night for the both of them. Cupping his hand against her cheek Nick leaned in, placing a soft kiss on Annie's forehead before waking her up.

…BNB…

"We weren't able to find Joey, but if he's alive and safe he'll join us once he finds out they killed his father." Nick started the meeting in the basement by summarizing what Annie and he and found out. Annie stood silent beside him holding the cup of coffee Nick had made her.

"Whose death we will avenge. Right now." Antonio added when Nick had finished. He was tired of waiting around until the next body showed up. They needed to take the offensive.

"Marsten likes to play in the shadows." Jeremy summarized, speaking up for the first time since Nick had started summarizing yesterday's events. "He gets other people to do his dirty work for him. We have to find a way to draw him out." Annie began suggesting a plan but Jeremy quickly silenced her, seeing where she was going. "If the next words out of your mouth are you can be bait you will be locked in the cage until we find a better way to lure Marsten out." Jeremy didn't know what Annie and Elena's deal was, always willing to be the bait, but after saying no to both of them previously he would have thought they would get that they were never going to be bait. Jeremy wasn't willing to risk it. Neither was any other pack member.

"Marsten's not the one you should be worried about," Elena surprised everyone as she entered the room. Last Annie remembered Elena had left with no intentions of ever coming back. Now, here she was, back with the pack. "Daniel Santos found me in Toronto. He had a lot to say. And he left this for you." Holding out a small package that had been unwrapped, Elena stopped Jeremy before he opened it. "You're not going to like what's inside." She warned him.

Those words had everyone moving forward to get a better look. Annie and Nick, who had been beside Jeremy, moved so that they could see the box. Inside, under a sheet of sheer fabric, were a pair of blue human eyes. Annie's stomach turned as her hands formed fists at her side. She had a sinking feeling she knew exactly whose eyes they were. Nick, who was thinking along the same lines as Annie, murmured Denis' name.

"Are we positive that these came from Denis Stillwell?" Antonio asked as they all gathered around the table where the box sat.

"I saw his body, his eyes were gauged out. Those are his." Nick insisted. Annie backed him up by nodding her head in affirmation. There was no question in her mind that the eyes belonged to the man she helped bury. She wouldn't soon forget the image of his empty eye sockets.

"Were his," Clay grumbled, correcting Nick's use of the present tense.

"Santos is going to pay dearly for this." Jeremy grunted in frustration, his knuckles turning white from his tight grip on the table. He was trying to control his anger and frustration at the situation.

Speak of the Devil, Elena's phone started ringing: it was Santos. After a few words with Santos, Elena switched the phone to speaker and set it on the table.

"How did you like my gift?" Santos' smug voice rang clear around the room.

"Why did you kill Denis Stillwell?" Jeremy got to the point, ignoring Santos' own question. Santos replied with semantics, claiming it technically wasn't him.

"Just like Hitler _technically_ didn't murder millions of Jews," Annie spat out, unable to hold the snarky comment back. Santos only laughed, thanking Annie for the complement.

"Being compared to a sadistic Bastard who hid behind those he ordered to do his dirty work and ended up committing suicide isn't a compliment." Annie snapped back. Before she could say anymore Jeremy held up his hand, signaling that was enough.

"You have my attention," Jeremy spoke once he was sure Annie wouldn't interrupt again.

"Good, because I want to be heard and taken seriously." Santos demanded. At his remark it was Clay instead of Annie who interrupted.

"Well it will be hard to talk after I rip your throat out," Clay growled threateningly. Santos didn't take his comment as lightly as he had Annie's.

"You see, now that is what we need to be talking about. The violent ways with which you uphold the pack laws. Now you know how it feels to be on the receiving end. All me and my associates want is to get out from underneath the pack's oppressive rule." Santos was crazy if he expected the pack to change centuries old rules. And yet, he expected just that, threatening more funerals if Jeremy didn't agree to a meet with him. So Jeremy agreed, though Santos refused to meet at Stonehaven. They ended up agreeing on an abandoned pavilion off route 35; tomorrow at noon.

Nick was the first to demand they couldn't trust Santos once Jeremy had hung up. Jeremy agreed, but declared they needed to turn this to the offensive before they got picked off one by one. As a start, he sent Elena and Clay to go find stake out positions for tomorrow's meeting. As they all dispersed Annie went to take a shower. She needed to rinse off the sweat and dirt from the previous day's work. While Nick waited for his turn to shower he found himself in the den, catching the end of his father's phone call where he booked a cruise for Denis.

"Closing out someone's life with a couple of calls. What a thankless job," Nick murmured as he leaned against Jeremy's desk. Antonio agreed, but claimed that it was necessary. They didn't want the other families alarmed about all the deaths. "I never envied your job as pack fixer." Nick added, shaking his head just thinking about everything his father had to do.

"It's not so bad. Once you take out the emotion and focus on the necessity of it." Antonio insisted, pausing for a moment before adding: "you know I always figured you'd take over."

"I wouldn't be any good at that. Too much responsibility." Nick had never been good at separating himself from his emotions, and he had never been particularly good at taking on responsibility. He only recently began doing things that were not necessarily in his best interest, just because they were in Annie's best interest. He'd have to have more practice with it before he ever considered taking on his father's job. Antonio disagreed, claiming Nick could handle it, and that he'd grown a lot in the past few years. "I'm not like you dad. When you were my age you already had a teenage kid. I don't know how you did it."

"You just adapt to the circumstances and make the best of it. You'll see. Someday you'll have a son of your own." Antonio smiled at his son. He knew that Nick would be an amazing father. Several years ago and Nick would have refuted, declaring he would never have children. But now that he had Annie, he could kind of see it, years down the road of course, but he could still see it.

"Someday," Nick agreed, a small smile on his face just thinking about it. Annie chose that moment to enter the den, fresh from her shower. Nick immediately straightened, sending Antonio a warning look not to say anything more about kids, as he left to take his own shower.

Antonio followed his son's silent orders, discussing school with Annie instead of any future plans for children. Annie mentioned how she had done a semester training on being a RN 1st assistant in trauma, figuring it'd be the most useful to the pack. Antonio seemed interested in the training, and they were still discussing it when Nick returned and joined in the conversation. It was as Annie was explaining one of the skills she acquired from the sessions that Jeremy received the call from Elena. There had been a box dropped off at the campsite with the same wrappings as Denis Stillwell's eyes.

"Elena, don't touch it," Jeremy ordered firmly. "Antonio and I are on our way." As Jeremy hung up Nick mentioned how it could be Joey's body parts. Antonio seemed to think it was more likely to be a booby trap and Jeremy couldn't help but agree with him. Ordering Nick and Annie to stay and watch the house Jeremy and Antonio left to meet up with Clay and Elena.

"I don't like just sitting and waiting for information," Nick grumbled as he paced the den's floor. Jeremy and Antonio had been gone for thirty minutes already and no one had contacted home to let Annie and Nick know what was going on.

"Now you know how I normally feel," Annie joked as she stepped in front of Nick, blocking his path. "I'm sure everything's fine." She added as she rested her hands on his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, Nick nodded his head in agreement. Everything was fine. That was until Elena returned alone, claiming Antonio and Jeremy had been ambushed on their way to the campground. Something about a fake car accident. Nick went absolutely mental with anger when he heard that, and it took both Elena and Annie to hold him back.

"Clay went to help. By the time you get there they'll have everything taken care of." Elena assured him, not releasing her hold on his arm until he stopped struggling. As soon as he was released the sound of a car squealing to a stop sounded from out front and all three of them were out the door.

"What the Hell happened?" Nick demanded as he approached Clay, who was the first one to exit the car.

"Your dad's in bad shape. We need to get him inside." At Clay's words Nick visibly paled, running to the back seat of the car and pulling it open.

Annie remained frozen to the spot as she watched Nick carry Antonio up the stairs. He had several cuts on his body, the deepest one along the left side of his stomach which was saturating his shirt with blood. It was bad. It was really bad. Nick calling her name snapped her out of her daze. She followed the others inside and helped lay a cloth down on the kitchen table before Nick set Antonio down on it.

"What do we do?" It took Annie a moment to realize Nick was talking to her.

"I'm a nurse, not a doctor, I haven't even graduated yet." Annie exclaimed, glancing nervously between Antonio's wound and Nick's pleading eyes.

"Please Annie," Nick whispered desperately. That's all it took. Rolling up her sleeves she asked Elena for gloves before ordering the others to collect the materials they would need: gauze, isopropyl alcohol, and clotting powder. They needed to stop the bleeding, fast. Annie didn't know if she could save Antonio, but she would try with everything she had.

* * *

><p><em>AN This chapter feels a bit choppy to me. Probably because I wrote most of it in chunks. I apologize if it isn't up to par and promise to do better on the next one. Please let me know what you think. Feedback is the fuel to writing. Plus I'm always interested in whether you all are enjoying it, or wish me to try something different with the story or my writing. Thanks to all that review/favorite/and follow. I just want to say a huge thank you to you all!_

_jk: I agree about Santos, he was a slime ball and it was very satisfying to watch the end of that episode. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There was even more blood than Annie had first thought. But first thing was first: the wound needed to be sanitized. The last thing Antonio needed was an infection on top of everything else. Not bothering with gauze Annie poured the alcohol directly on the wound after warning Antonio it was going to sting. Next came the clotting powder. Annie had to have Elena open them, her gloves were too wet from the alcohol. To be on the safe side, she used four packets before getting the others to help her wrap a gauze bandage around Antonio. She thought it was over then, that that was all it would take to save him. She was wrong. It was just the beginning of the fight. Because that's when Antonio coughed up blood.

"Damn it!" She cried, banging her fist against her leg while the others stared in horror at both Antonio and Annie. "There's internal bleeding."

"What do we do?" Nick asked frantically, gripping his father's hand firmly.

"If there's internal bleeding, he needs surgery. To stitch up the organ damage and stop the bleeding from the inside." Nick wanted her to do it. Was begging her to. But Annie didn't know if she could.

"I've never been in the OR let alone participated in a surgery. Doctors do surgery, Nurses' aide them. The only thing I've ever practiced any type of surgical methods on was a corpse in a cadaver lab. It doesn't really matter if you screw up on a corpse." She exclaimed frantically. The last thing she wanted to do was have Antonio die at her hands. She would never get over that. If she tried surgery and it failed, she would have to live with the fact that Antonio died because she screwed up.

"I don't have a lot of choices Principessa." Antonio murmured, his voice filled with pain. "I can't go to a hospital and I will die without surgery. I trust you. It is better to try and fail then not try at all." Reaching out his free hand for her Annie took it as she deliberated his words.

"I'm scared," Annie whispered, tears in her eyes. Either way she would blame herself. If he died because she refused to try, or if he died at her hands from her attempt at saving him. At least he had a chance if she tried.

"Anch'io, Principessa. Dobbiamo essere forti. dobbiamo essere coraggiosi." Nodding in agreement Annie wiped the tears with the back of her arm before giving new orders.

Grabbing the scissors from Clay, Annie cut through the bandage they had just wrapped around Antonio. Before touching the wound she poured isopropyl alcohol over her gloves to sanitize them. She would need a scalpel, needle and dissolving stitches, facemasks and gloves on everyone staying, more gauze and alcohol, and lots of light. Most of the items needed were in her lab kit which was in her book bag. Elena went to retrieve that. There was no time to try and numb the site and no anesthetic for Antonio to go under, so Annie told Nick to grab a wooden spoon for Antonio to bite on when the pain started. It was an old practice used in the civil war era, but it's all they had.

Before starting Annie gave everyone their instructions. Nick was to keep track of his father's pulse. Since there was no anesthesia there would be nothing counteracting the body's natural increase of blood pressure from the stress and the pain. If his pulse became too fast Nick needed to calm his father down by any means he could: talking, cold compresses, anything to decrease the stress because there would be no way to decrease the pain. Elena needed to keep the supplies nearby and sanitize them before giving them to Annie. Clay was on light duty, holding a 90 watt lamp above Annie's workspace while Jeremy was working on setting up a blood transfusion. Antonio would be needing more blood after the surgery and the only blood available was from one of them.

The first cut was the hardest. A part of Annie wanted to drop the scalpel and run away, but she knew she couldn't. Summoning all her courage she made the incision perpendicular to the wound. She winced at the grunt of pain Antonio let out, but forced herself to press on. If she remembered her anatomy correctly, then the organ most likely cut from the fight would have been the bottom of the Ileum. At first it was as if she was looking at an impossible jumble of organs, but then she found the sigmoid colon and went up from there.

It took a while for her to find the part of the ileum that had been severed. Long enough for her to fear she would be too late. That there would be too much blood loss or too much stress. When she found it she let out a mumbled 'thank god' before asking Elena for the needle and the sutures. Bracing herself once more Annie pulled the needle through the topmost part of the damage. It was torture pulling the sutures through the skin of the organ. Antonio's body would twitch in pain with every stitch and sewing through the ileum was not near as smooth as sewing a button. The ileum took twenty-seven stitches to close up. Annie counted each and every one. Even after that she wasn't done.

The exterior of the wound was wiped with an alcohol soaked gauze pad before Annie began stitching up both the incision and the wound. This time she didn't use dissolving sutures, since she'd be able to remove these ones when the time came. The wound and incision took a total of forty stitches. Antonio had, unfortunately, remained conscious throughout the entire process. Annie was half hoping the pain would have been enough to knock him out, but a wolf's pain threshold was much higher than any human's. After Annie had tied off the last stitch, Jeremy was hugging her, muttering thanks and telling her she'd done well.

"Don't thank me yet." Annie whispered. "The surgery is done, but I can't promise I didn't do something wrong. He still needs to heal from it. And for that he needs a bag of fluids, a blood transfusion, antibiotics, blood thinners, and probably some pain killers to help keep him comfortable."

"I can go to the hospital, take just what we need discretely. I've done it before, just tell me what you need." Clay insisted. Annie knew he could do it. She had seen him do it before. Clay oftentimes used torture to make the Mutts stay in line. In order to keep them in their human form he needed Morphine. There's not many doctors who would write a prescription for Morphine because the 'patient' needs it to continue torturing someone. So Clay had needed to steal it or get it off the black market. In this case stealing would probably be faster.

"I'm going to need several 1000 ml 0.9% Normal Saline bags and a IV ports to go with them, some Antibiotics, preferably Penicillin, Ampicillin or Cefuroxime, Warfarin 1 mg but lots of it so we can control the dose as we go, and the Morphine you normally get for the Mutts." Annie rattled off the list to Clay, who looked a little lost until Elena handed him the list she had recorded. "Elena, go with him. He'll need a lookout. And for heaven's sake. Be. Careful." Annie stressed the last part. Clay getting caught stealing would not do his reputation any good.

"Don't worry Princess, I've done this before. We'll be fine." Clay murmured, kissing Annie on the head before grabbing his jacket and heading out with Elena.

"How are you doing Antonio?" Annie asked as she removed the spoon from his mouth. His face had a sheen of sweat over it and he looked exhausted as Hell. Annie couldn't imagine the pain he had just gone through. The surgery wasn't nearly as hard for her to do as it was for Antonio to experience.

"Hanging in there, Principessa." He murmured, wincing as he spoke.

"Don't worry, Clay's gonna get you something to help with that," She whispered as she kissed his forehead before turning to Nick. "Are you up for giving blood? He needs it desperately and since you're related by blood you're probably our best bet at a match." At his affirmation, Annie dragged a seat next to the table. They would do the first transfusion in the kitchen, as she didn't feel it prudent to move Antonio to the makeshift infirmary upstairs until he got a little more rest.

Removing her bloody gloves Annie tossed them in the trash before donning a clean pair. With two fingers she felt for a good vein on Antonio's right arm, telling him to make a fist for her as best he could. When she found a prominent one she wiped the spot with alcohol took one end of the tubing Jeremy had strung up and carefully inserted the needle into the vein. At least this job she felt a little more in her element doing. They had practiced this enough times in lab for Annie to be confident in it. As soon as Antonio was set she moved to Nick. He watched her as she prepared his own arm like she had his fathers before inserting the other side of the transfusion tubing into his arm.

"Annie," Nick whispered after she had started the blood transfusion. As soon as she turned towards him he pulled her down with the arm not hooked up to the machine and kissed her with everything he had. "Thank you."

"I wish everyone would save they're thanks until we found out if it worked." Annie murmured as she straightened back up. She was nervous that Nick and everyone else would get their hopes up only to have them crushed.

"Have a little more faith Principessa. You did amazing. And if it makes you feel any better this thank you is for trying. There'll be another one when it succeeds." Nick winked at her, successfully getting her to smile, albeit it was a small one. Her smile didn't last long as the thump of Jeremy collapsing on the other side of the table had her rushing towards him.

"Jeremy!" Annie cried as she reached him, helping him to sit on one of the chairs before pulling his shirt up to examine his wound. "This doesn't look good," Annie murmured, as she rushed to get the supplies that sat on the stove. Jeremy's wound was still bleeding, and swollen. She had been so focused on helping Antonio she hadn't realized just how bad Jeremy's own wound was. There wasn't much she could do for him until Clay came back with the medicine, but cleaning the wound with alcohol, applying hemostatic powder and pressure to stop the bleeding was a start. She was in the middle of stitching up Jeremy's wound when the sound of a car pulling up out front interrupted her.

"You go get that. I'll finish this up." Annie hesitated causing Jeremy to murmur 'go' to her as he took the needle from her. Before she left the room she glanced back at Nick, he looked as if he wanted to come with her. He couldn't, he was hooked up to the transfusion tubing, so Annie sent him a small smile, her way of saying she'd be fine.

Annie got to the front door a beat after there was a knock. By sniffing the air Annie detected who it was before opening it. The pack so did not need that right now. She did a quick double check to make sure there was no sign of blood on herself before opening the door. "Sheriff," Annie greeted in a neutral tone.

"Annie," the Sheriff started, it was obvious Annie was not who the Sheriff had hoped would answer. "Is Clayton Danvers here?" Annie's heart jumped to her throat at the question. Had they found the body Elena had moved? If so, why would they still be looking for Clay, the body was no longer on Stonehaven property which should have gotten the police off of Clay's back. Her fear only increased at the thought of Clay and Elena possible returning with a car full of stolen medicine while the Sheriff was. This was not good.

"He had some business to attend to," Annie responded, hoping that didn't sound too suspicious. It was the best she could come up with. "Is there anything I could help you with?"

The Sheriff studied Annie. It's not that she didn't trust the girl, on the contrary she felt Annie was very nice, however she didn't want to burden her with information about death especially its possible connection with her brother. The girl had heard enough rumors about murder and death already.

"Is Jeremy Danvers home?" The Sheriff asked hopefully.

"It's, uh, not a good time," Annie answered, knowing how bad that must sound. But Jeremy was in the kitchen, where Nick was giving blood to his father through a homemade transfusion setup, finishing stitching up his knife wound. None of that was exactly legal, and Annie knew it would only force more questions on the pack as well as more suspicion and scrutiny. They had enough of that at the moment, they didn't need more.

"It's never a good time to talk to the police," the Sheriff responded with a smile. "We have a situation on our hands, we found Michael Braxton's body." Annie was stunned, not sure what to say or do next, until, to her surprise, Jeremy spoke from behind her.

"Morning Sheriff," Jeremy greeted her, the sound of pain barely evident in his voice. "Annie, could we have a moment," he murmured to her, nodding his head ever so slightly before inviting the Sheriff inside. For a moment Annie only stared in shock as the Sheriff entered Stonehaven. Never before had Jeremy invited a human into their home. Not while Annie had been there. When Jeremy sent her a look Annie shook herself out of it, quickly making her way back to the kitchen while Jeremy showed the Sheriff into the den. This was beyond surreal.

"What's going on?" Nick asked as soon as Annie had returned.

"The Sheriff's here. They've found Braxton's body." Annie murmured as she sent a warning text to Elena. It wouldn't be good if they came back with the Sheriff there.

"They still suspect Clay?" Nick asked, sounding confused. Annie muttered an 'apparently' as she went to check how much blood he'd given so far.

"That's enough for now," Annie remarked as she carefully removed the needle from Nick's arm then Antonio's. "As soon as the Sheriff leaves I'll get a gurney from upstairs so we can move Antonio to a bed." Grabbing a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff from her bag Annie stepped closer to Antonio. He looked a little better now, but she still needed to check his vitals. His pulse was still a little high, as well as his blood pressure, but that was expected. They weren't high enough to be too alarming. Wrapping the stethoscope around her neck Annie moved towards the fridge, grabbing a bottled water and handing it to Nick. He needed to hydrate after giving blood.

When the Sheriff left, Jeremy returned to the kitchen. His wound was bleeding through the gauze as he hadn't had a chance to finish stitching it up before joining Annie at the door. Grabbing another pair of gloves Annie started over, sanitizing the wound then finished stitching it up. She was getting a lot of practice with sutures today. Ordering Jeremy to rest, Annie waited until he complied by taking a seat by the fire in the den. Once he was settled Annie went to retrieve the gurney for Antonio. Nick followed her, knowing the gurney itself was old and heavy.

"So, do most nursing students lab kits come with sutures?" Nick asked as the pulled the gurney out from the storage unit in the makeshift infirmary.

"No, I swiped some extra supplies during the Cadaver labs." Annie admitted as they made their way slowly down the stairs. "I figured they'd come in handy. Today proved me right." Nick smiled in response, finding it amusing that Annie would steal.

When they made it back to the kitchen they had to position themselves carefully. There were only two of them, as Annie refused to let Jeremy help. She didn't want to chance his wounds reopening, besides helping was not resting. As Nick stood on one side of the table Annie stood on the other side with the gurney. Since the gurney they had didn't have wheels, just handles to carry the patient on, Nick would need to lift his father off the table by himself, just enough for Annie to slip the gurney underneath them. The transfer went smoother than Annie had anticipated.

Bracing herself for the weight Annie took the bottom half of the gurney by Antonio's feet. They moved slowly towards the stairs, with Nick taking the lead as they climbed them. Although Annie was a werewolf and stronger than a human female, she was still the weakest member of the pack, not to mention she was emotionally as well as physically drained from performing surgery. It took all of her concentration to make it to the second floor where the room was set up for Antonio. Relief filled her once Antonio was transferred to his 'hospital' bed and she found herself leaning against the nearest wall when it was over.

"You should really get some rest," Nick said, worry laced in his voice, as he joined Annie against the wall. She looked exhausted with a sheen of sweat covering her face that trapped a few lose hairs from her ponytail against it.

"He's right Principessa, you need your rest as much as Jeremy and I do." Antonio murmured softly. He looked slightly greener, most likely from the transfer. Immediately Annie pushed herself off the wall and went to check his vitals again.

"I'm fine." She insisted as she took his pulse. As she suspected it had risen slightly. "I need to be awake when Clay gets back so I can set you up on medication. I'll rest later." Thankfully Clay returned shortly after the transfer. Annie sent Nick down to get her bag as well as to bring the supplies upstairs when she heard his car pull up. She knew Jeremy would want to talk to Clay about the Sheriff's visit.

"Clay definitely came through," Nick announced as he brought the bag full of materials and medicine Annie had asked for. "Jeremy's having him and Elena track down Cain." Annie paused in her examination of the bag's contents when Nick said that.

"They're going after Cain?" Nick nodded in response, making Annie sigh. "I hope they're careful. Cain is…Incredible Hulk strong."

"He's strong, but he's sloppy. They'll be fine." Nick assured her. "Now, what can I do to help?"

Annie had him setting up the fluid bag on a hook and loading up a syringe with morphine diluted with sterile water while she inserted a new tube into Antonio's left arm. Adding a Y port she connected one of the two ports to the fluid bag—after mixing in the Penicillin— and set up a drip so that Antonio would remain hydrated as well as receive around the clock antibiotics. Next she used the syringe to slowly administer a morphine push over five minutes through the second port. Once the fluids and pain were taken care of she moved on to the Warfarin. Starting with a 5 mg dose, she had Antonio take five of the 1 mg tablets with the water that Nick had brought. After that Antonio was all set until his next doses. The Warfarin would be administered every 2 hours while the morphine would strictly be used on an as needed bases seeing as they only had but so much of it.

As soon as everything was set up, Nick was forcing a bottle of water into Annie's hand, claiming she needed to look after herself as well. She downed the bottle in record timing, not realizing how thirsty she was. After that Nick made her shower and then sleep. Annie only consented when Nick allowed her to sleep in the extra hospital cot beside his father. The closer she was to Antonio the faster her response to any medical dilemma or emergency, God forbid that there was one.

While Annie slept Nick sat in a chair between her cot and his father's. He thought his father had been asleep too, but he hadn't. Antonio had been observing his son as he studied Annie and the way the boy looked at her, Antonio could tell his emotions ran deeper than infatuation. Nick might not know it yet, but the way he looked at Annie was the same way Antonio had looked at Nick's mother: like he would do anything to protect her from the world.

"You should tell her how you feel sooner rather than later." Antonio murmured, startling Nick.

"I've never been one to admit my feelings dad, you know that." Antonio did know that. Nick preferred to be somewhat of a Casanova before Annie, always having fun but never emotionally attaching to anyone. He wasn't used to expressing emotions deeper than lust. Before Antonio could offer up any words of wisdom when it came to women, the sound of Elena and Clay returning echoed up from the foyer.

"Wow, I've always wondered what this place looked like." Cain's obnoxious voice sounded sarcastic. Clay shut him up by saying he should wait till he sees his guest room.

The commotion downstairs was enough to wake Annie. She sat up, seeming a bit drowsy, asking what was going on. Nick quickly moved to her side, trying to force her to lay back down, and calmly explained that Clay and Elena had just returned with Cain. He eventually got her to lie down once she realized, for the time being, everyone was okay. That state of momentary serenity died twenty minutes later when there was a thump from downstairs.

"Annie!" Elena shouted frantically. At the sound of her name Annie bolted from her cot before Nick could try to stop her, taking the stairs two at a time. Before her name was called, Annie had heard Elena murmur Jeremy's name. Something was seriously wrong. Nick followed after Annie once his father assured him he would be fine alone. He found Annie kneeling beside Jeremy's body while Elena cradled his head and stated that it couldn't be just blood loss.

Jeremy's pulse was slow, but strong. Pulling up his shirt and removing the gauze pad Annie looked on in horror at the severe discoloration of the skin. Elena was definitely correct, this wasn't just blood loss.

"Poison," Annie whispered to herself in horror. "I think the knife the Mutt used was dipped in poison." She stated louder, turning towards Elena and Nick.

"Well, what do we need to do to find an antidote?" Elena demanded, horrified at the prospect of Jeremy being poisoned.

"We need to know what kind of poison we're dealing with. I can't guess at something like this. The wrong course of treatment could kill him." Annie explained, becoming frustrated. They had just gotten Antonio out of the woods, now Jeremy was in critical condition. All because of Santos and his Mutts. They were going to pay dearly for this.

"Maybe Cain knows. Clay can…work with him and try to get the answer." Nick suggested.

"He needs to work fast. I'm not sure how long he has. If he can't get it out of him by tomorrow, we're going to have to figure something else out." Annie stated. Her consent had Nick going to inform Clay of the new situation. While he was gone, Annie and Elena moved Jeremy up to the spare cot that Annie had napped on after applying fresh linens to it. Annie brought a dish of cool water and cloths to apply to Jeremy's forehead to try and help counteract the fever.

"What's happened?" Antonio whispered from his bed as he watched Elena and Annie work around Jeremy.

"He's been poisoned. Clay's trying to get what kind out of Cain." Elena answered while Annie set up a fluid drip for Jeremy, using one of the bags meant for Antonio. Jeremy need to stay hydrated if his immune system was trying to fight off the poison. If they ran out of fluid bags Annie would just have to send someone to get more.

…BNB…

"I couldn't get anything out of Cain yet." Clay grumbled, kicking one of the chairs in the infirmary and startling Annie awake. She hadn't slept much the previous night, getting up every two hours tending to Antonio and Jeremy.

"I still had twenty minutes." Annie grumbled back at him after checking her watch. Knowing it wasn't worth trying to fall back to sleep, she tried to rub the sleepiness from her eyes. "What's our next move?" She asked as she took a sip from the bottle of water on the table beside her chair.

"I'm going to find the other Mutts, or at least the human woman," Elena declared, ignoring Clay's stern look. "We need to find out what poison was used and Cain isn't talking."

"I'll get him to talk," Clay insisted gruffly. Annie had the distinct feeling she was about to witness a lovers quarrel and she couldn't escape it. Making the best of it she went to tending to her two patients, praying that Nick would come back upstairs soon, and braced herself for the awkwardness.

"We don't have time to wait and hope Cain knows something and tells you. You keep working on Cain while I look for the woman." Clay didn't like it, but he sensed it was a battle he would lose. Instead of fighting it he insisted Nick go with Elena, just as Nick himself was returning with a fresh pitcher of cold water to replace the room temperature water in the bowl by Jeremy's bed.

"Normally I would love to hunt down Santos' Mutts with you Elena, but I'm scheduled to give my dad more blood this afternoon." Nick addressed the suggestion as he handed Annie the pitcher. Thanking him Annie poured it into the bowl before applying new cool cloths to Jeremy's forehead while Elena was arguing she could go by herself.

"Any sign of the Mutts and you're going to call me. I'll be there." Clay demanded, caving in to Elena's request. He knew there was no other way. Annie needed to stay to look after Jeremy and Antonio, not that he would send both Annie and Elena out without backup, and Nick was required to stay as blood donor.

"Any sign of trouble, I'll call." Elena agreed, before brushing past Clay and out the door. Clay waited until the front door closed before going back at it with Cain.

"I thought you'd still be sleeping," Nick commented as he took the seat beside the one Annie had slept in.

"It's only a little earlier than when I planned on waking up. No big deal," Annie shrugged as she repositioned Jeremy's pillows before setting up a new fluid drip for Antonio. He was still sleeping as Annie hooked up the new bag. It was a good thing, he needed rest, though Annie had been pleasantly surprised at the recovery Antonio was making.

"You need sleep Annie. I could take over for a while. Let you get some rest." Nick offered. In truth he was a little worried. Annie had been on her feet for practically 24 hours straight now. The little pockets of sleep she got didn't count as they didn't even total 8 hours combined.

"I'm fine Nick. I've pulled some all nighters for exams, this is nothing." Annie insisted. When Nick was about to protest further she silenced him with a determined look. "I am finally able to actually contribute to the pack. I haven't felt useful since I arrived home. Please, let me do the one thing I am capable of to help."

Nick kept his opinions on Annie's sleeping habits to himself after that. Annie was far from being inessential to the pack, but if saving Antonio and helping both him and Jeremy recover helped her to feel useful, then he was not going to take that away from her. Instead he made sure she ate at appropriate times and stayed hydrated; taking care of Annie as she took care of Jeremy and Antonio. Anne made sure Nick was drinking his fair share of water as well, knowing hydration was key for an easy blood transfusion.

It was just as Annie was hooking Nick up for another transfusion that there was a knock on the front door. Why was it every time Nick gave blood they received unwanted company? Once she had the transfusion set up she went out to the hall, trying to find out who had come. Clay was just slipping back in through the front door as Annie peered down at him from the landing.

"I'm heading to the station with the Sheriff for questioning so she can 'cross me off her list'" Clay explained quickly as he grabbed his jacket from the coatrack. "Hold down the fort while I'm gone."

It was like déjà vu when Annie returned to the infirmary and Nick asked what was going on. Just like the last time he was giving blood the Sheriff had shown up to talk to Clay. Except this time Clay was there, and had left with the Sheriff instead of inviting her inside. It was a smart move. The last thing they needed was the Sheriff to know they had a prisoner downstairs they were torturing in a cage they kept rigged up in their basement, or that Annie was practicing medicine illegally upstairs on two of the pack members.

"I'd rather it be the Sheriff than another Mutt come to challenge the pack," Nick stated as he took another sip of water. Annie nodded her head in agreement as she took Jeremy's temperature. He was burning up with a 104 degree fever, and all Annie could do about it was apply more cool cloths.

With Clay no longer able to try and get Cain to talk they were relying wholly on Elena finding the human. Annie hoped that she would hurry, Jeremy didn't have too much time left. As if knowing they were waiting on her, Elena called shortly after Clay had left. Annie put it on speaker phone as she was disconnecting the transfusion from both Antonio and Nick.

"Did you find her?" Annie asked as she worked the needle out of Nick's arm.

"Not just her, but Le Blanc and Marsten." Annie interjected asking Elena why she hadn't called Clay first. "This is more important. I know what Jeremy's been poisoned with. It's ricin."

"Ricin, are you sure?" Annie clarified, her hopes diminishing.

"Yea, I'm positive." Elena assured her. "Do you need me to pick up the antidote on the way or do you have what you need there?"

"There is no antidote for ricin," Annie whispered dejectedly. The only hope they had was a blood transfusion to try and get the poison out of Jeremy's system. Elena was silent for a moment before revving the engine and saying she'd be home soon.

Annie wasted no time in transfiguring a new transfusion set up. The faster Jeremy got new blood the better the chances of him surviving. Nick had asked if there was anything he could do to help, but it wasn't a two man job and he had already given enough blood to Antonio. So Annie hooked herself up to the transfusion tubing, giving Jeremy her blood. There had been no time to compare blood types for compatibility, she could only hope his body wouldn't fight her blood.

This time it was Nick forcing Annie to drink water to help with a blood transfusion. Knowing it would help she drank, and kept drinking until she couldn't fore anymore water into her system. Annie had to guestimate how much blood it would take to clean Jeremy's system. Truthfully she probably overestimated, but she would rather be safe than sorry. Elena arrived home before the process was done, running to Jeremy's side and asking how he was doing. Jeremy murmured a positive answer, but it was clear he was still suffering. It would take a couple nights rest for him to get back to himself.

Around the time Clay returned from the Sheriff's, and found out Elena had disobeyed him by not calling him when she found Marsten and Le Blanc, was when Annie disconnected the tubes from her and Jeremy's arms. Both he and Antonio were asleep by that time, lucky for them. They couldn't hear the rehashing of Elena being bitten echoing from downstairs. Nick and Annie were not so lucky. Wanting to busy herself so as to distract from the fight Annie stood to return the tubing to the basket of used materials needing sanitized. She only made it several steps before her vision began spotting and she crumpled to the floor, blacking out.

* * *

><p>TRANSLATION OF ANTONIO'S DIALOGUE: "Me too, Princess. We must be strong. We must be brave."<p>

_A/N It took a bit longer to write this one as it had a lot of technical things in it. Also, I'm in my sixth year in pharmacy school on Rotation and the workload picked up a bit. I want to include a disclosure/apology here for any med students or nurses. I am sorry for any medical inaccuracies. I am not a doctor or nurse and I don't claim to have their knowledge. As a pharmacy student I know drugs more than surgical procedures and even then, I practice in a community setting and so I am not as familiar with hospital protocols. I did my best with what I knew. I hope any inaccuracies weren't too distracting/annoying! I would love to hear what you all thought! Thanks to those who review/favorite/follow. It means a lot to me!_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

When Annie came back to, she was laying on a bed instead of the floor and there were cold compresses on her forehead. "How the Hell do you work this thing?" She heard Nick grumble and the sound of Velcro as something was fitted around her arm. Her eyes flitted open a moment later, causing Nick to abandon the blood pressure cuff in favor of brushing her hair out of her face.

"Annie, thank God. How are you feeling?" Nick asked as he took a seat in the chair beside the bed she was currently lying on. Apparently, while she was out, the others had set up another hospital cot.

"A little lightheaded, but otherwise fine. What happened?" Jeremy was the one to answer her, sitting in his bed to the right of her, and looking much better. He informed her that she had passed out about an hour ago. Jeremy's best guess as to why was because of exhaustion on top of the strain of giving so much blood to him during the transfusion.

"Nick was a bumbling idiot when you hit the floor, fretting over you and not leaving your side until you woke up." Antonio added in good humor from the other side of Jeremy. Annie found herself smiling a little while Jeremy chuckled. "Couldn't even figure out how to use the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope." Nick was quick to counter his father's last statement, claiming that normally they would use digital blood pressure cuffs and technically none of them knew how to use Annie's cuff. He never refuted the fact that he was incessantly worried about Annie while she was unconscious.

Elena and Clay came into the room shortly after that, reminding Annie that they had been fighting when she passed out. Apparently things had cooled down a little since then. Clay actually smiled when he saw she was a wake, claiming she had scared him and insisting she must never do that again. She quietly answered she would try her best, scooting herself towards the edge of the cot and preparing to rise from the bed. However, when she tried to stand up both Nick and Clay were there trying to force her back down. Once she mentioned that, since no one could figure out her blood pressure cuff, Antonio and Jeremy had gone a whole hour without anyone monitoring their blood pressure and pulse, they let her up. Though Nick hovered near her as though he was afraid she might collapse again.

As it turned out, both Antonio's and Jeremy's blood pressure was in the normal range, much to Annie's surprise. She quickly moved on to checking both Antonio's and Jeremy's sutures, asking what happened during her black out while she did so. The lack of immediate answers that followed alerted Annie that whatever had happened, it wasn't good. She didn't ask again until she was done cleaning both her patient's sutures and applying new gauze. Clay was the one who eventually answered her question: Koenig was coming for the pack. Although Annie didn't know who Koenig was, the looks on everyone's faces summed up that him coming for the pack was a very bad thing.

"Who's Jimmy Koenig?" Annie asked, taking a seat between Antonio and Jeremy's cots.

"He was the pack enforcer, long before I became Alpha." Jeremy began, sounding apathetic as he spoke of him.

"You know all those files about dead Mutts in the basement?" Nick asked, continuing where Jeremy had left off. When Annie nodded, Nick continued. "Koenig is responsible for most of them. Dad calls him the killing machine." Annie's eyes widened at that, looking towards Antonio who simply nodded in agreement. She knew Koenig coming had sounded like a very bad thing. It was worse than she had expected.

"I've set up a meeting with Koenig for tomorrow afternoon. I didn't want him to have surprise on his side. It should still give us enough time to prepare." Jeremy announced after Annie's question had been answered, shifting in his bed and wincing slightly. Seeing his pain threw Annie into nurse mode.

"Jeremy, you are nowhere near ready to fight. You just barely escaped poison with your life. Your body is still weakened. I'm _not_ clearing you just so you can fight the werewolf version of the Terminator." That earned her a stern look and a reminder from Jeremy that _he_ was alpha and _he_ decided when he was ready to fight. Sighing, Annie immediately turned to Antonio. "Don't even _think_ that you're going with them. It's out of the question. Poison is one thing, but you just scraped by with surgery and your body is nowhere _near_ ready to fight. Period."

"Antonio won't be fighting Annie," Jeremy reassured her, surprising Annie at how easy her word was taken. Antonio on the other hand didn't look phased at all, almost like he had already known it. Had they already discussed all this while she lay unconscious on the floor? "You are right he needs his rest. Which is why both he and you will remain behind when we meet with Koenig." Damn it, they _had_ discussed it already. _And_ they were doing it again. They were going all overprotective on her.

"What? You're kidding right? I can't just stay behind while the four of you march off to do battle with the bionic killer! He sounds twice as bad as Leblanc, which is saying something because Leblanc is a twisted sociopath." Annie knew they had planned this. They wanted her to stay behind because she was a weakness to them, not an asset. If she was there they would all take turns being her bodyguard all because she was, unfortunately, the youngest and the weakest.

"We need you here. Antonio is still recuperating and cannot stay here alone, he needs your medical expertise." Jeremy was appealing to her logical side. True, he was relieved they actually had a reason to have Annie stay behind, but he didn't create an excuse. It was the truth, Antonio needed Annie there to help him.

"Fine," Annie relented. There wasn't much chance of her winning a debate this time, and she couldn't be selfish enough to insist Antonio stay behind on his own. He wasn't ready to be left alone. "Is Logan going with you at least?" Logan hadn't come home yet, despite the numerous texts and phone messages to do so. Annie held out hope that perhaps they had reached Logan while she was out, seeing as they seemed to have been very proactive during that time. Perhaps he was coming home to help them fight.

"I texted him a few times, he didn't answer back. But I could see he was picking them up," Nick answered first. "So as of now, no he's not coming."

Great, so there would only be three members of the pack there to support Jeremy. That was bad enough, but the problem wasn't just the fact that the pack was facing Koenig tomorrow. It was also that Logan wasn't usually the one they had trouble getting home. Elena normally took the throne as drama queen when it came to protesting the summoning to come home. Logan was reliable. What was going on that he couldn't make it back after multiple attempts to contact him?

"I can't believe he hasn't answered anyone. I can't believe he's not here." Annie murmured to which the others answered in agreement. "You don't think anything's happened to him, do you?" Worry clouded Annie's mind at the thought that no one could get through to Logan because the Mutts had gotten to him first.

"I talked to him several days ago. He had said he'd come as soon as he could. I doubt anything's happened since then." Jeremy assured her. The last thing Annie needed was to worry more. With the exhaustion already stressing out her body any more stress might lead to an aneurysm. "Now, I think it best if you get some rest, in a real bed. Clay will get you if we need you. Antonio will need you at your most alert tomorrow."

Annie couldn't deny she could use a decent night's sleep. She couldn't risk fainting tomorrow when it was only Antonio and her. So, she agreed. Nick followed her out, not saying anything until he reached out to stop her when they were outside his door. After a moment's hesitation, he suggested Annie stay in his room for the night. It was closer to the infirmary in case Jeremy or Antonio needed her during the night. Annie stared blankly at him for a moment, too shocked to answer. Nick never let anyone in his room. It was his private sanctuary. And he was offering to share that privacy with her. Obviously she agreed, once she recovered enough to speak.

Nick opened the door for her, waiting for her to enter before shutting it behind them. His room was surprisingly neat. The desk was empty except for the lamp and his laptop, and the only items on his dresser were picture frames—most of which had Annie in them with a variety of pack members— and his cologne. He had infinitely less stuff than Annie, though she suspected his closet and dresser held just as many clothes. Nick liked to look presentable, and he hated doing laundry. Both led to him buying new clothes when he didn't feel like washing the ones he had. His walls were a deep green and the thick curtains hanging over the windows ensured that no light would creep in, in the morning. A plus seeing as that meant she might actually be able to sleep in past sunrise as Annie's curtains were strictly decorative. None of those things were the best part of Nick's room though. The best part was that his scent was strong and clear throughout it. It was like aromatherapy, instantly putting Annie at ease.

Taking off his shirt, Nick offered it to Annie. She took it without hesitation, swapping her own with it. That night, Nick's shirt and her underwear were all she slept in—jeans weren't the most comfortable of pajamas. Annie didn't need to curl up with Nick for his scent to envelope her, but she did anyways. Despite having passed out not even an hour ago, it didn't take long for Annie to fall asleep. She wasn't sure if that was because she was exhausted, or because she was completely relaxed with Nick next to her and his scent surrounding her. Annie was so relaxed, she didn't wake up once throughout the night. The first time she opened her eyes was the next morning. At least she assumed it was morning. The room was just as bright as it had been when she had fallen asleep thanks to the curtains, however Nick was sitting at the edge of his side of the bed tying his tennis shoes.

"Good Morning," She yawned as she tried to tame her bed hair with her fingers. "What time is it?"

"Eight," Nick answered before straightening up, turning to give her a kiss on the cheek and asking how she slept. At her answer—best night sleep ever—Nick smiled widely. He was hoping she'd say something like that. He knew he had slept the best he had in years and it was nice to know Annie had as well; he also liked to think he was a big reason for that. "You can go check on my dad when you're ready." Nick added, knowing Annie would be anxious to make sure his dad was still doing alright. "I'll bring you both up some breakfast."

Antonio was awake when Annie entered the infirmary, greeting her with a smile and a comment of how he had thought it was Nick coming. Annie stuck out her tongue at the joke, knowing he was referring to the fact that Nick's scent was fairly strong on her. After sleeping in his room and wearing his tee it was too be expected. Changing the subject she asked where Jeremy was, seeing that he was absent from his cot.

"He's waiting outside for me to start training for Koenig," Nick responded as he entered the room and placed the tray of food on the table beside Antonio. "Eat up," he added before leaving. Annie admittedly watched him go, his athletic cut off shirt showed off his biceps, not to mention he also had a pretty nice butt.

"Are you going to fantasize about my son all morning or are you going to help me with the tray?" Antonio broke through Annie's thoughts, and made her turn a deep shade of crimson. She immediately helped Antonio with his pillows so he could sit up before setting the tray on his lap. As he dug in she changed out his empty fluid bag with a new one. Before she could move on to checking his pulse Antonio insisted she sit down and eat with him, promising she could play nurse after.

Annie conceded, mostly because she was starving. Luckily Nick had brought plenty of food for the both of them. She ended up pulling the tray away before Antonio was really finished, claiming he had to take his recovery slowly, which meant not overloading his intestines with food to digest. He grumbled a little, but otherwise didn't complain much.

After giving him his dose of warfarin Annie went to the window to watch Nick and Jeremy training, her excuse being she wanted to observe how Jeremy could fight with his recent injuries. It was obvious that Jeremy's injuries were affecting his fighting, however he was still kicking Nick's ass. Annie knew Jeremy was a more experienced fighter than them all, save Clay, but she also knew a big downfall of Nick's was leading with his emotions. He was too caught up in seeking revenge for the pain Santos and the Mutts put Antonio through to fully concentrate on guarding his left side when he attacked. It made her worry about him. If he couldn't control his emotions, he might make mistakes when fighting Koenig. Mistakes meant injuries, sometimes even death.

"I wish we could go with them," Annie murmured as she returned to Antonio's bedside. "It makes me even more anxious that we can't."

"Me too, Annie, but we can't." Antonio answered firmly. Annie dropped the subject after that, knowing that it would only make Antonio feel worse for not being able to go with the pack and his son. If Annie worried about Nick as much as she did, she couldn't imagine how much worse it must be for Antonio.

Annie busied herself with cleaning the used medical supplies while the others continued practicing. When it was nearing time for them to leave, they each took turns showering and changing before meeting back in the infirmary. If Annie and Antonio couldn't come along, they at least were going to be a part of the prefight meeting. Nick spoke first, questioning whether Jeremy was ready for this or not, to which Jeremy insisted he was. Annie silently agreed with Nick's opinion, but knew Jeremy was going regardless of what she thought. He had already made that abundantly clear last night.

"What if the deserted factory is just a trap?" Elena spoke up, voicing a concern Annie hadn't thought of yet.

"Koenig prefers to work alone. To be part of an ambush would be beneath him. He's only coming because Santos failed to kill me." Jeremy responded quietly before building up to the rest of his speech. "There have been a lot of changes recently. We have lost Pete, and though Antonio and Annie cannot come with us, we are still one. This is the family, and I need you to know that I draw my strength from you. We will end this today." There were no more questions after Jeremy's final words. He was the first to leave the room after that, followed by Clay and Elena. Nick stayed behind a few moments to talk with his father and Annie, making his father promise not to go into a health crisis while he was gone. When he turned to Annie she threw her arms around him, and drew him into a hug before he could speak.

"Please, be safe. Fight smart. And come home in one piece." She pleaded as she buried her head in his shoulder. He answered with a simple 'I'll try,' before kissing her lips softly. After that he left, not looking back for fear of the look of worry and dread in Annie's eyes. He was confident that the pack would win this fight, though he knew it would be a hard fought battle. If there was one thing he was thankful for, it was that they had an excuse to make Annie stay behind. He would concentrate much better if he didn't have to worry about her safety as well.

When everyone was gone the house was unnaturally silent. Annie wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. Antonio seemed the same, even more so since he was confined to bed rest for the time being. Pulling out a deck of cards Annie started shuffling, using the tray that had previously held their breakfast as a table before dealing Antonio into a game of rummy to distract them both. As they played Annie questioned Antonio about Jimmy Koenig, asking if he was really as terrible as everyone claimed. After a moment of considering whether or not to tell his story to Annie, Antonio did.

"Nick was barely six months old when Jeremy was supposed to bring Nick and me back into the pack. But on that day Jeremy was told to stand down. Nobody knew, but my father, Dominique, had sent Jimmy Koenig instead. When he came I explained to him I had made a mistake to leave and raise Nick with his mother. That was before my first change, and once I experienced the change it scared the hell out of me. It wasn't until then that I understood the importance of Nicky growing up and being raised by his own kind, by pack. I knew Jimmy's reputation, figured he was sent to kill me for my disobedience, and begged him to make it quick and take Nick to Jeremy. But Koenig wasn't there to kill me. He told me that my father had a job for me, part of the deal for coming back to the pack. He forced me to kill one of the two Mutts he had in his trunk, by closing my hand around his throat and crushing his windpipes. Then he made me bury both the bodies." Antonio's voice was strong and even throughout the story until he got to the end.

"That's terrible, how could your father be so cruel. It's borderline sadistic Antonio!" Annie exclaimed, horrified that someone's father would be so mean to force his son to murder someone. Just because Antonio had wanted to raise his son with the woman he loved.

"That's the worst part. Jeremy once confronted my father about it, asking about the Mutt I had to murder. My father had no idea what he was talking about. He had never ordered me to kill. That was all Koenig. Koenig forced me to kill a man, just for the sport of it." Malice and resentment colored Antonio's voice after that final explanation. Annie just stared at him, struck with how horrendous and purely evil Koenig was. Setting her cards down, she grabbed Antonio's arm in a reassuring gesture, murmuring a sincere apology for what he had to go through. She would have hugged him had there not been a tray in her way.

They finished their game in silence after that, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Annie was thinking of her own father, both his life and his death, and how she never knew her mother's name, the mother who had died bringing her into this world. Her father had never spoken of her, and Annie supposed it had been because thinking of her had caused him too much pain. She wondered if she looked at all like her mother, what traits she might have inherited from her. Annie would never know, with her father not around to tell her. She found herself wondering if Antonio would ever tell Nick about his mother, while there was still time, or if she would be a constant unknown in his life like Annie's mother was to her.

…BNB…

Jeremy stood alone outside of the factory waiting for Koenig. He had the others waiting inside until Koenig showed up. Koenig didn't keep them waiting, pulling up right as the minute hand hit 12, punctual as always.

"No fanfare? No welcome home sign? Not even a bouquet?" Koenig questioned sardonically as he made his way towards Jeremy.

"We'll save that for the funeral," Jeremy responded firmly. Koenig agreed, claiming the funeral would be Jeremy's. "I thought you retired after Dominique's death?" Was Jeremy's response.

"Sunsets in Sedona aren't for me." Koenig answered cryptically as he lit up a cigarette.

"One more job? You could have said no." But he hadn't. Koenig wanted this job, and not just because of the money. What his true motivations were, Jeremy didn't know. Koenig didn't shed much light on why either, simply claiming he liked to shake off the rust every once in a while. That he'd learned it paid to be ready. Jeremy couldn't help but agree with him on that last part.

"You brought help," Koenig muttered after inhaling deeply and catching the scent of the other pack members.

"I ordered them not to get involved." Jeremy assured him as Clay, Elena, and Nick came out from the factory and surrounded Koenig and Jeremy.

"Only three? I heard membership in the pack was dwindling, but this is a disappointing reception." Koenig goaded with a smirk as he took in the pack that was present.

"This is just between you and me," Jeremy reminded him calmly, to which Koenig agreed, for now. He claimed he would kill the others as well, once he was through with Jeremy. That's when Jeremy started his attack. He got in a few good punches and kicks, causing Koenig to applaud him on still having fight left in him. After that Koenig caught Jeremy, sending several punches to the side of his injury and causing Jeremy to grunt in pain.

"I heard you were stabbed, that must be tender. You've recovered better than I had expected. Faster than Antonio. Tell me, is he not here because of his injuries, or because you wanted an excuse to keep pretty little Annie away from the fight?" This time Koenig's goading got to Jeremy, but he wasn't the only one. Nick lunged towards Koenig in anger, sending a punch aimed at his jugular that was blocked before Koenig shoved him forcefully, making Nick crash into Clay in Elena in the process. "Did I hit a nerve?" Koenig chuckled darkly before launching himself over the railing and disappearing into the factory.

"Split up and find him," Jeremy ordered before taking off towards the door Koenig had entered through.

It was ciaos as they all searched for Koenig. Being separated meant that no one knew if someone had found him, so no one knew if the others were safe. When gunshots started firing from outside it set everyone on edge. Koenig, unknowingly, had been followed. LeBlanc had come for Elena, hence the gunshots. Elena had run into him outside as she was searching for Koenig. She got shot in the shoulder as she was running from him, trying to get a homeless girl to run to safety when she appeared out of her hovel by an abandoned, rusted car.

The homeless girl ended up dying, as LeBlanc mistook her for Elena and shot her. Elena barely escaped herself by hiding beneath the rusted car. She was forced to silently watch as the homeless girl fell dead in front of her. LeBlanc came to ensure Elena was dead, cursing when he realized it _wasn't_ Elena. He moved on, away from the girl, determined to find his target, and unknowingly passing right by her and leaving her behind. However the stress of it all started triggering the change in Elena. It took everything in her to force it back down. She barely managed to get away, as the sound of her change had drawn LeBlanc back towards the car.

Meanwhile, back in the factory, Jeremy had found Koenig, or more accurately Koenig had found Jeremy. They reengaged their fight immediately, but Jeremy was weak from the strain of their earlier contact. His body was still fragile from the poison that had run through his blood. Koenig gained the upper hand quickly, holding Jeremy up by his throat, and slowly crushing it as he murmured they both knew it would end that way. Right before he finished it, Nick found them. Koenig was so distracted, savoring the kill, that he was caught off guard. It was over before he could counteract, as Nick grasped Koenig's throat before wrapping his arms around his head and breaking his neck. After taking a moment to realize he had just killed Jimmy Koenig, Nick rushed to Jeremy, checking that he was okay. Jeremy insisted he was fine as he wiped blood from his nose and mouth.

"He knew about Annie. He was taunting us, taunting me." Nick murmured after a couple moments of staring silently at Koenig's dead body.

"I know, Nick. But Koenig's no longer a threat, to Annie or to anyone. You took care of that," Jeremy responded as he clasped Nick's shoulder before pulling him away from the body.

…BNB…

After their card game was over, Annie cleared away the tray, gave Antonio his next dose of Warfarin and some more morphine then checked his vitals. Once there was nothing else she could do to help Antonio health wise, she went to retrieve her computer to give her something to do, bringing back the book Antonio had asked her for when she left. As Antonio laid in his cot reading the mystery novel, Annie reclined in Jeremy's old cot with her laptop. Slipping on headphones she pulled up a playlist on iTunes while flipping through old photos on her laptop. Before that she had checked her email, a little scared of what she might discover, only to find the most bothersome email being a formal letter to all students reminding them that midterms were coming up and listing tips to relieve stress as they prepared for them. Her email was minimized after that as she moved on to the photo albums, which proved to provide ample entertainment.

It wasn't until she was into the album of her early years at the University that a ding went off, the signal for a new email. Moving her cursor to click on the internet icon Annie pulled up her email only to regret it a moment later. The new email was from yet another address she did not recognize, different from the others yet the same in that one aspect. Her palms were sweating as she clicked on it.

_You can't save them all. The pack cannot protect you. No one you love is safe._

As with all the others there were pictures and as Annie scrolled through them her stomach was in knots. She knew they usually ended with a dead body, and she could only pray that this time would be different. The pictures were of Annie with each of the pack members at random: her and clay practicing fighting techniques in the yard, Elena and her shopping in Toronto during Black Friday, Jeremy and her at her matriculation into the University, and Nick and her kissing for that first time at the bar during winter break. Though they were all creepy and stalker-ish, it was the last one that really sent her pulse racing. It was a zoomed in photo through the back window of Antonio and her playing cards in the infirmary. They weren't alone. Someone was at Stonehaven.

* * *

><p><em>AN and then there was a cliff hanger. What makes it even worse is I probably won't be able to update in several days as I am finishing up one rotation, meaning lots of paperwork and assignments. I promise to update as soon as possible though! Hope you enjoyed this installment. Thanks to all who have reviewed/favorited/followed. Makes me smile every time. Let me know what you thought!_

_Rach_

_xoxo_


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